Katrina “KT” Thornton

Chief Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Officer
Taco Bell

Katrina Thornton, known as “KT,” is Taco Bell’s chief equity, inclusion and belonging officer. Since joining in 2021, she partnered with all levels of the organization to build out, crystallized and transformed Taco Bell’s DE&I strategy. A large part of her role has been ensuring that EI&B is woven into their business practices and brand strategy with the belief that inclusion is more than just a human resources function. She initiated an EI&B immersion event, and fostered innovative programs like the Internal Incubator, as well as the Ambition Accelerator, to fight inequality.

Thornton leads Business Employee Resource Groups, supporting diverse communities, and secured additional funding for community engagement. Her action-oriented approach resulted in increased female and minority representation by October 2022. KT’s holistic EI&B strategy aligns with Taco Bell’s ambition for gender parity and supplier diversity by 2025.