Celessa Baker is the Vice President, Marketing Partnerships for Sephora. She is responsible for identifying, planning, and developing unique, first-to-market, and culturally relevant partnerships that are closely aligned with Sephora’s values and will shape the next chapter in the retailer’s storytelling.

Since joining Sephora in 2014, Celessa has held various leadership positions on the Brand Marketing team. In her previous role as the Vice President, Brand Marketing, Makeup & Hair, she and her team specialized in creating and leveraging unique, cohesive brand narratives to drive revenue across a diverse portfolio of more than 90 brands. Notably, Celessa led the global launch of Fenty Beauty at Sephora, and has helped to bring on various other breakout brands including Pattern by Tracee Ellis Ross, Makeup by Mario, Bread Beauty Supply, One/Size by Patrick Starr, Danessa Myricks, Glossier, Patrick Ta, Vegamour, and Rare Beauty. She was also a pivotal component in driving the retailer’s far reaching and dynamic multi-brand campaigns, such as the “Black Owned Beauty” campaign, which spotlights the exceptional array of products from Black-owned and founded brands available at Sephora. Her team also oversaw brand participation in the TikTok x Sephora Accelerate incubator program, an initiative dedicated to assisting beauty entrepreneurs and TikTok creators, with a special focus on people of color, in growing their businesses and expanding their reach to a broader audience. Additionally, Celessa pioneered the development of co-op programs leveraging first-party data, delivering a powerful competitive advantage that fueled growth for both Sephora and its brand partners. She is also the executive sponsor for SephoraNoir, an employee resource group fostering connections, mentorship, and networking for Black and African American employees, allies and external partners.

Prior to joining Sephora, Celessa held marketing roles for organizations like the Los Angeles Lakers, Sony Music, Radio One, and Men’s Wearhouse. She has contributed to tailored marketing strategies for music industry icons like Beyonce, Jennifer Lopez, John Legend, and more. Her exceptional contributions have also been recognized in Essence’s Black Women in Beauty digital edition. Celessa attended Chapman University where she received her bachelor’s degree in business communications and organizational communications. She currently resides in the Bay Area with her husband and two daughters.