For years across both the public and private sectors, Payton Iheme has worked to improve how people connect through technology and public policy in senior roles at Bumble, Facebook and in the Obama administration, where she played a part in developing technology, science and cyber policies. Now in the newly created role of chief impact officer at adventure tour operator Intrepid Travel, Iheme tells senior editor Nicole Edenedo how she is poised to do the same in the travel space.
Payton Iheme
Q: What prompted you to get involved in the travel space after years as an executive in the technology and public policy sectors?
A: The jump to travel is really just a blend of my personal and professional life. You get to a certain age, and you really see what’s going on in the world; you see what’s reflecting in our politics; you see what you want the world to look like for your children. And the way I view it is, how do you pull personal, political work and family all together where they’re all moving in the same direction? And you want to do that work with a partner that you feel you can trust and believe in, and they’re not just doing it for temporary applause or because it’s in vogue but it’s part of their DNA, just like it’s part of mine. And I think that moment happened now. So that’s why now and why Intrepid.
Q: What will your new role entail at Intrepid?
A: With an impact role, your lens is how do you make the most impact, in the sense of what will the company’s legacy be? What are the areas the company is going to be a leader in and advocate for? I have to align the impact strategy for the company, the environment and the social governance framework. This is our B Corp work, our work with the U.N. and the sustainable development goals; I’ll be in charge of what our strategy will be there. I’ll be the lead, in terms of an advocate for external stakeholders, kind of setting the tone for Intrepid’s social, cultural and environmental priorities, how we want to make an impact around the globe. And a big part of that will be setting ambitious climate goals, our responsible business targets and just generally designing and delivering the impact strategy. And parallel to that, I’ll be in charge of the Intrepid Foundation [the company’s humanitarian arm]. So it’s a two-pronged approach.
Q: How will your previous roles inform your new one?
A: I think there is a lifetime of learning that is going into this role. I served in the military in Iraq. I studied Arabic in Egypt. I studied Spanish in Mexico. I’ve been to lots of places, I’ve done a lot of humanitarian work, I’ve worked and lived with indigenous communities for months and months. By the time I switched over to the private sector, first at Facebook then Bumble, I had a national security background, working on what could be done better, where technology wasn’t having the best influence on people. I think it’s all of those different threads, and I think it’s really interesting that I don’t really have to pick and choose as much because it’s global; all of these issues are happening in every single country that we’re working in.
Q: What will your top priorities be?
A: People want to participate in real experiences. It may be in their backyard, in their local community or it may be afar. And really sharing that message to people — this idea of traveling solo but not alone — is something that will be a top priority. It’s a path I’ve walked myself, and I feel that sentiment has resonated, too, with a lot of people. We have a lot of ideas and things we want to roll out.
