Kara Valikai

Kara Valikai is a senior sustainability leader in apparel and retail with extensive experience setting enterprise strategy and driving progress toward sustainability goals. She currently serves as Senior Director, Responsible Supply Chain at lululemon, where she leads supply chain strategy and execution for human rights and environmental impact – strengthening vendor resilience, effective risk management, and adherence to international labor standards.

Previously Kara led Sustainability Strategy, Integration & Reporting, where she defined the company’s 2030 Impact Agenda and long-term roadmap across all impact areas. In this role, she shaped how the company measures and communicates ESG performance to strengthen transparency, credibility, and stakeholder trust.

Earlier in her career, Kara held leadership roles at Walmart, where she worked on their corporate strategy initiatives including the early development of Walmart+ and led the first ever global Women’s Economic Empowerment strategy with the goal to double sourcing from women-owned businesses in key markets. She has also held senior roles with the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and worked internationally on economic development and value chain strategies.

Kara holds an MBA from MIT Sloan, an MPP from Harvard, and a BA in Economics from UC Santa Barbara.