Board of Directors

Christopher J. Nassetta

President, Chief Executive Officer and Director

Christopher J. Nassetta is President and Chief Executive Officer for Hilton. In this role, he is responsible for leading the company’s brand-led, network-driven, and platform-enabled strategy for sustainable growth while furthering its founding vision “to fill the earth with the light and warmth of hospitality.” Under his direction since 2007, Hilton has expanded to nearly 140 countries and territories while more than doubling its brand portfolio, global property, and room counts.

Previously, Chris was President and Chief Executive Officer of Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., a position he held since 2000. He joined Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc. in 1995 as Executive Vice President and was elected Chief Operating Officer in 1997.

Before joining Host Hotels & Resorts, Inc., Chris co-founded Bailey Capital Corporation in 1991, where he was responsible for the operations of the real estate investment and advisory firm.

Prior to founding Bailey Capital Corporation, he spent seven years at The Oliver Carr Company, ultimately serving as Chief Development Officer. In this role, he was responsible for all development and related activities for one of the largest commercial real estate companies in the Mid-Atlantic region.

Chris serves on multiple boards and organizations including:

U.S. Travel Association – Former Chairman of the organization representing the travel industry nationally, advocating for policies to increase travel to and within the United States.
World Travel & Tourism Council – Former Chairman for the organization that works to raise awareness of travel and tourism as one of the world’s largest industries.
Business Roundtable - At-large Director of the nonprofit whose members develop and advocate directly for policies to promote a thriving U.S. economy and expanded opportunity for all Americans.
Federal City Council – Member of the non-profit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the improvement of the nation’s capital.
The Economic Club of Washington, D.C. – Member of the nonprofit that promotes collaboration among business leaders, government officials, and members of the diplomatic corps and creates a forum for them to express their views on the most important economic issues of the day.
Arlington Free Clinic – Supporter of the non-profit, community-based, volunteer-driven organization that is committed to providing access to quality health care services to low-income, uninsured county residents.
The Real Estate Roundtable – Former Chairman and member of the organization that brings together leaders of the nation’s top public and privately held real estate ownership, development, lending, and management firms with the leaders of major national real estate trade associations to jointly address key national policy issues relating to real estate and the overall economy.

Chris graduated from the University of Virginia McIntire School of Commerce with a degree in finance. He currently serves on the McIntire School of Commerce Advisory Board.

Jonathan D. Gray

Chairman of the Board of Directors

Jonathan D. Gray is President and Chief Operating Officer of Blackstone, Inc. (“Blackstone”), and has served as a member of the board of directors of Blackstone since February 2012. He previously served as global head of real estate for Blackstone from January 2012 through February 2018. He also sits on Blackstone’s management committee. Mr. Gray served as a senior managing director and co-head of real estate from January 2005 to December 2011. Mr. Gray received a B.S. in Economics from the Wharton School, as well as a B.A. in English from the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of Pennsylvania, where he graduated magna cum laude and was elected to Phi Beta Kappa. He also serves on the board of XRG and Harlem Village Academies. He previously served as a board member of Corebridge Financial, Nevada Property I LLC (The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas), Invitation Homes Inc., Brixmor Property Group Inc. and La Quinta Holdings Inc. Mr. Gray and his wife, Mindy, have established the Basser Research Center at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, which focuses on the prevention and treatment of certain genetically caused breast and ovarian cancers. They also established NYC Kids RISE in partnership with the City of New York to accelerate college savings for low-income children.

Charlene T. Begley

Director and Audit Committee Chair

Charlene T. Begley has served as a director of Hilton since 2017. Ms. Begley served in various capacities at General Electric Company from 1988 through 2013. Most recently, she served in a dual role as Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, as well as the President and Chief Executive Officer of GE’s Home and Business Solutions business from January 2010 through December 2012. Ms. Begley served as President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Enterprise Solutions from August 2007 through December 2009. During her career at GE, she served as President and Chief Executive Officer of GE Plastics and GE Transportation, led GE’s Corporate Audit staff and served as the Chief Financial Officer for GE Transportation and GE Plastics Europe and India. Ms. Begley currently serves as a director and member of the audit and risk committee and chair of the nominating & ESG committee of Nasdaq, Inc. and a director and chair of the audit committee of SentinelOne, Inc. Ms. Begley also previously served as a director and member of the audit and nominating committees of Red Hat, Inc. and WPP plc.

Chris Carr

Director

Chris Carr has served as a director of Hilton since 2020 and is the former Chief Operating Officer of Sweetgreen. Prior to Sweetgreen, he held a variety of retail and supply chain senior executive roles at Starbucks, most recently as the Executive Vice President (“EVP”), Chief Procurement Officer. Mr. Carr also served as Starbucks’ EVP, Americas Licensed Stores and led Starbucks’ U.S. retail business as the EVP, U.S. Retail Stores, where he was responsible for the omni-chanel customer experience at approximately 13,000 U.S. company-operated and licensed retail stores. Prior to Starbucks, Mr. Carr spent 18 years with ExxonMobil, developing, leading and implementing retail operational strategies for its Global Fuels Marketing downstream businesses. Chris holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Business Administration from the University of San Diego, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the New York Institute of Technology. He currently serves as a director for Equity Residential, Bridgestone Americas and Recreational Equipment Inc. (REI). He also serves as a Board Trustee for Howard University and the University of San Diego.

Melanie L. Healey

Director and Compensation Committee Chair

Melanie L. Healey has served as a director of Hilton since 2017. Ms. Healey served as Group President of The Procter & Gamble Company ("Procter & Gamble") from 2007 to 2015. During her tenure at Procter & Gamble, one of the leading providers of branded consumer packaged goods, Ms. Healey held several leadership roles, including Group President and advisor to the Chairman and CEO, Group President, North America and Group President, Global Health, Feminine and Adult Care Sector. Ms. Healey has more than 30 years of strategic, branding and operating experience from leading consumer goods companies including Procter & Gamble, Johnson & Johnson and S.C. Johnson & Sons. Ms. Healey serves as a director of PPG Industries, Inc. and Kenvue Inc. She previously served as a director of Target Corporation and Verizon Communications Inc.

Raymond E. Mabus, Jr.

Director

Raymond E. Mabus, Jr. has served as a director of Hilton since 2017. He brings significant public sector experience to the Hilton board, having served as the 75th United States Secretary of the Navy from 2009 to 2017. He was the United States Ambassador to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia from 1994 to 1996, the 60th Governor of Mississippi from 1988 to 1992, and Auditor of the State of Mississippi from 1984 to 1988. He is currently CEO of The Mabus Group, a consulting company, and vice chair of InStride, a public benefit company. Mr. Mabus currently serves as chair of Virgin Galactic Holdings, a public company, on the Board of XGS Energy, on the non-profit boards of World Central Kitchen and the Environmental Defense Fund, and on the Advisory Board for the National Medal of Honor Museum. He previously served as a director of Dana Incorporated, as chair of Kadem Sustainable Impact Corp., and as Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Foamex International. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Mississippi, and a Law Degree, magna cum laude, from Harvard Law School.

Marissa A. Mayer

Director

Marissa A. Mayer joined the Hilton board in May 2025. Since 2018, she has served as Chief Executive Officer of Sunshine Products, a technology startup company based in Palo Alto, California that uses artificial intelligence to develop consumer-facing applications for automating everyday tasks. She previously served as Chief Executive Officer, President and a member of the Board of Directors of Yahoo!, Inc. from 2012 to 2017. At Yahoo, she led a transformation of the company – rejuvenating its culture, growing to more than 1 billion users worldwide, and reinventing Yahoo's business. Before joining Yahoo!, Ms. Mayer spent 13 years at Google, Inc., from 1999 to 2012, as an early employee and the first woman engineer. For more than a decade, she led product management for Google Search, Google Maps, Google News and other consumer products, holding various roles of increasing responsibility including Vice President, Local, Maps and Location Services and Vice President, Search Products and User Experience. She has served on the board of Walmart Inc. since 2012. At Walmart, she has served on the Compensation and Management Development Committee, the Strategic Planning and Finance Committee, and the Technology and E-Commerce Committee. She has served on the boards of AT&T Inc. since 2024 and Starbucks since 2025. She serves on AT&T's Audit Committee and the Corporate Development and Finance Committee. In addition, she serves on the board of the private company Maisonette. She also serves on the board of the San Francisco Ballet and previously served on the foundation board for the Forum of Young Global Leaders at the World Economic Forum and on the board of Nextdoor Holdings, Inc. Ms. Mayer holds a bachelor’s degree in Symbolic Systems with a concentration in artificial intelligence and a master’s degree in Computer Science with a focus on artificial intelligence, both from Stanford University.

Elizabeth A. Smith

Director and Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee Chair

Elizabeth A. Smith has served as a director of Hilton since 2013 and is the Executive Chair of Revlon, Inc. She was a member of the board of directors of Bloomin’ Brands, Inc. from November 2009 to April 2023 and previously served as its Executive Chairman of the Board from April 2019 to February 2020, its Chairman of the Board from January 2012 to April 2019, and its Chief Executive Officer from November 2009 to April 2019. From September 2007 to October 2009, Ms. Smith was President of Avon Products, Inc., a global beauty products company, and was responsible for its worldwide product-to-market processes, infrastructure and systems, including Global Brand Marketing, Global Sales, Global Supply Chain and Global Information Technology. In January 2005, Ms. Smith joined Avon Products, Inc. as President, Global Brand, and was given the additional role of leading Avon North America in August 2005. From September 1990 to November 2004, Ms. Smith worked in various capacities at Kraft Foods Inc. Ms. Smith currently serves on the board of directors of Brown-Forman Corporation. Ms. Smith previously served as chair of the Atlanta Federal Reserve Board, as a member of the board of directors and audit committee member of Staples, Inc., as a member of the board of directors of The Gap, Inc., and as a member of the board of directors of the U.S. Fund for UNICEF. Ms. Smith holds a bachelor’s degree, Phi Beta Kappa, from the University of Virginia and an M.B.A. from the Stanford Graduate School of Business.

Douglas M. Steenland

Director

Douglas M. Steenland has served as a director of Hilton since 2009. Mr. Steenland worked for Northwest Airlines Corporation from September 1991 to October 2008, serving as Chief Executive Officer from April 2004 to October 2008 and as President from February 2001 to April 2004. During his tenure at Northwest Airlines, he also served as Executive Vice President, Chief Corporate Officer and Senior Vice President and General Counsel. Mr. Steenland retired from Northwest Airlines upon its merger with Delta Air Lines, Inc. Prior to his time at Northwest Airlines, Mr. Steenland was a senior partner at a Washington, D.C. law firm that is now part of DLA Piper. Mr. Steenland is a member of the board of directors of American Airlines Group Inc. Mr. Steenland previously served as a director of American International Group, the London Stock Exchange, Performance Food Group Company, Travelport Worldwide Limited, Digital River, Inc. and Chrysler Group LLC. Mr. Steenland received a B.A. from Calvin College and is a graduate of The George Washington University Law School.

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