Courtney Diesel O’Donnell

Global Head of External Affairs, Airbnb

Courtney serves as the Global Head of External Affairs for Airbnb. In this role, she leads the strategic planning and coordination of global partnerships and various engagements across the organisation. Prior to joining Airbnb in 2014, Courtney served as Director of Communications for Dr. Jill Biden as a senior aide in the Office of the Vice President at the White House. In this role, Courtney developed and implemented media outreach campaigns on national and global issues including access to higher education, preventing sexual assault, and raising awareness and support for America’s military families and veterans. Prior to the White House, Courtney served as a member of the Clinton Foundation senior management team, advising President Clinton and key Foundation stakeholders on outreach and communications strategies. She is a veteran of many state, national and global campaigns for political offices and causes of concern, from presidential contests to global appeals for humanitarian aid. The World Economic Forum named Courtney a Young Global Leader in 2011, and she serves on the Board of the Thomson Reuters Foundation and the American Council on Germany.