About Valerie

Valerie has long been passionate about building sustainable work, career, and economic trajectories for the most vulnerable members of America’s workforce. She cut her teeth in the field at SEEDCO where she managed a $2.5 million portfolio of workforce development contracts with the State of New York, the City of New York, and the Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone. Valerie has expertise in sector and career pathway initiatives in the healthcare and construction fields, Lifelong Learning Account integrations (LILAs), and capacity-building services for community-based organizations.

In 2012, Valerie spearheaded the launch of an early version of Resource Navigator services in northern Colorado while managing special initiatives for the Bohemian Foundation. Rooted in community dialogue and a collaborative process that involved business, government, nonprofit, and philanthropic entities, the program continues to thrive in northern Colorado today.

Valerie holds a Bachelor of Arts from U.C. Berkeley, and dual master's degrees from Columbia University in Social Work and International Affairs (Economic and Political Development). She is a graduate of the P/PV and Aspen Institute Sector Strategies Practicum, and is a recipient of Columbia University’s Lowenstein Award, which recognizes excellence in the field of Social Work.