Levi’s Brand Chief Resigns, Claiming She Was “Pushed Out” for Views About Pandemic-Related School Closures

Jennifer Sey has resigned from her position as Brand President of Levi Strauss (San Francisco), saying she was “pushed out” of the company for speaking out against school closures during the pandemic, according to an essay she wrote on Substack.

Credit: Jennifer Sey, Substack

A 20-year company veteran, Sey had served as Levi’s brand chief since 2020. In the essay, she said CEO Chip Bergh offered her a $1 million severance package to sign a non-disclosure agreement that would prohibit her from speaking publicly about her departure, but she declined in order to “keep my voice.”

When Forbes asked Levi’s for comment on Sey’s claims, a spokesperson declined to address them, saying only that she resigned and her duties would be assumed by Chief Commercial Officer Seth Ellison until a replacement is found.

Sey has a history of activism, the Forbes article notes. A former gymnast and six-time member of the U.S. Women’s National Team, she was one of the producers for “Athlete A,” a documentary on the Larry Nassar scandal at USA Gymnastics which won an Emmy award in 2020. In 2018, she helped Levi’s take a stand against gun violence. She also helped the brand produce a series of short films highlighting Black athletes, artists and climate activists.

Read more at Forbes.