United Airlines today appointed James T. Olson as senior vice president of Corporate Communications, bringing to the airline 25 years of public relations and employee engagement experience from several of the world's most admired and innovative companies, including Starbucks, US Airways and Nissan. He will join United on Feb. 1, reporting to Michael Bonds, executive vice president of Human Resources and Labor Relations.

Olson currently serves as vice president Global Corporate Communications at Starbucks Coffee Company, Fortune's 5th Most Admired Company, where he has led the company's reputation-elevating corporate news agenda and brand protection capability since 2011.

Prior to Starbucks, Olson was vice president Corporate Communications at US Airways, where he led the airline's internal, external and crisis communications functions, which included managing the response to the 2009 Hudson River emergency water landing of Flight 1549.

Olson earned a Bachelor of Science in Public Relations from Syracuse University and a Master of Business Administration from the University of Southern California. He has also served as a long-time board member of The LAGRANT Foundation, which is devoted to achieving greater diversity in the marketing and communications fields.