Karmetria Burton

Dr. Karmetria Burton is a corporate executive, speaker, author, and founder of the Paint Your Lips Red (PYLR) movement—a bold initiative dedicated to empowering women to lead with confidence, authenticity, and faith. With more than two decades of leadership experience across Fortune 500 organizations including AT&T, Delta Air Lines, and IHG Hotels, Dr. Karmetria Burton has built a career rooted in strategic leadership, inclusion, and transformative people development.

Throughout her corporate journey, Dr. Burton has served in senior leadership roles spanning human resources, operations, and organizational strategy, becoming known for her ability to blend executive presence with purpose-driven leadership. She has spoken on panels and stages for major corporations and conferences nationwide, inspiring aspiring women and girls globally to step into their power unapologetically.

Dr. Burton is the visionary behind the annual Paint Your Lips Red Luncheon and Gala, a highly anticipated empowerment experience that gathers women from across industries to celebrate leadership, healing, reinvention, and sisterhood. What began as a symbolic red lip has grown into a movement that challenges women to reject limiting beliefs and boldly claim their space in boardrooms, businesses, and communities.

In 2026, she will release her debut book, Never Wear Red Lipstick, a leadership and liberation guide for Black women navigating business and life. Blending personal storytelling with actionable strategy and faith-centered principles, the book dismantles myths that encourage women to shrink and instead equips them with tools to lead boldly, build legacy, and stop surviving—and start soaring.