Kikora N. Mason
Vice President, Social Media JPMorganChase
A child of God, Comms Pro, Community Builder,
Board Member, Purveyor of Style, Veteran homecook
Can you share your journey into the work you do? What experiences, moments, or values led you here?
My work currently sits at the intersection of culture, community and corporate strategy. I currently serve as a Vice President on the social media team at JPMorganChase, where I focus on community engagement and culture-forward brand experiences. But I didn’t arrive here accidentally.
I’ve always been deeply attuned to how culture shapes opportunity — who gets visibility, who gets resources, who gets to tell the story. Growing up and moving through predominantly white institutions, I learned early how much emotional intelligence and translation Black women often carry. To be honest, this probably had a hand in my decision to attend an HBCU! Over time, I realized that what I instinctively did, reading rooms, building bridges, shaping narrative was strategy.
My career in communications/public relations (specifically social media) gave me a front-row seat to how power moves through storytelling. I saw how brands could either extract from culture or invest in it meaningfully. That tension led me to focus my work on building spaces, campaigns and partnerships that feel culturally intelligent and rooted in real community, not performance.
At its core, my journey has been about expanding what leadership looks like. I’m committed to ensuring that culture isn’t an afterthought in corporate spaces and that Black women’s insight, labor and creativity are recognized as strategic assets, not invisible contributions.
Who or what has most influenced your leadership and commitment to this work? This could include mentors, community, lived experience, books, faith, or movements.
My leadership has been shaped by Black women — in my family, in my community and in professional spaces. Watching the women in my life navigate work, faith and family with strength and complexity taught me that leadership is both visible and invisible. I think of my grandmothers, Estelle Hicks Green and Mary Rollins Mason. I think of my mother, Winifred Green Mason. It’s not just what you accomplish publicly, but how you steward people privately.
I’m also deeply influenced by my father, Dr. Patrick Leon Mason, an economist and historian who has dedicated years to documenting our family’s journey from enslavement to land ownership and civic leadership. Growing up in a household where the presence of God, history, political economy and legacy were dinner table conversations shaped how I see the world. He taught me to think structurally — to understand that outcomes are rarely random, and that systems, policy and ownership matter. That lens informs how I approach corporate strategy and community work today.
Mentors who model clarity over performance have also shaped me. The leaders who demonstrate that you don’t have to dominate a room to move it — you just need to understand it.
Books like Sister Outsider by Audre Lorde and The Memo by Minda Harts gave language to experiences I had long felt but couldn’t articulate. Faith has anchored me in the belief that leadership should be rooted in service, integrity and stewardship and not ego.
Ultimately, my lived experience as a Black woman navigating corporate America has been my greatest teacher. It sharpened my awareness of psychological safety, representation and the cost of invisibility...and it fuels my commitment to building better environments.
For those who feel called to doing this work, where would you suggest they begin? Is there a book, organization, practice, or resource that helped shape you?
Start with clarity.
Ask yourself:
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What problem am I actually trying to solve?
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Who does this work benefit?
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Am I building for visibility or sustainability?
I would recommend reading The Memo by Minda Harts for practical navigation insights, and Emergent Strategy by adrienne maree brown for thinking about systems and collective power.
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Beyond books, find community. Join organizations or spaces where you can be honest about what you’re navigating. Mentorship, both formal and informal, is essential. I have complex thoughts about mentorship I'd be happy to discuss further offline, ha!
Most importantly, begin where you are. You don’t have to have a title to lead. Leadership is influence, not position.
What wisdom or encouragement would you offer to the next generation of Black women leaders entering this space?
You do not have to shrink to survive.
Your emotional intelligence is not accidental, it’s strategic. Your discernment is not overthinking, it’s pattern recognition. And your desire for both excellence and peace is not unrealistic.
Build skill. Build community. Build boundaries.
Do not confuse access with alignment. And don’t let urgency rush you into spaces that don’t honor your fullness.
You are allowed to be ambitious and protected. Repeat: you are allowed to be ambitious and protected.
How can people stay connected to and support your work? Please share your website, social media, current campaigns, or other ways to get involved.
I'm around lol. You can stay connected with me on:
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kikora-n-mason/
I’m currently focused on culture-forward community engagement. In my spare time, I enjoy building spaces that center psychological safety and sustainable leadership for Black women, cooking, traveling and reading. If you’re interested in collaborating, mentorship or just chatting, I’d love to connect.
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Want to learn more about humanizing leaders on social media? Check out my interview in the Chicago Tribune.