Her Story
About Dawn
Dawn James-Valentine is an organization development consultant and policy specialist with over 30 years of experience in social work and organization and process management improvement. Based in Hampton, Virginia, her expertise includes conducting thorough organizational assessments, implementing pathways to resolve issues, delivering trainings, coaching, mentoring, and supporting self-assessments for staff development. She holds a bachelor's degree in organization governmental administration with emphasis on criminal justice from Christopher Newport University, earned in 1998, and is pursuing a master's in psychology with industrial and organizational leadership. She is a Certified Workforce Development Professional and a Federal Acquisition Contracts Contracting Officer Representative Level 3. Dawn is a member of the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals and Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated. Her work reflects a commitment to helping organizations and individuals grow, with values centered on trust, respect, dignity, and kindness.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Dawn
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to the people that have surrounded me and really was not telling me just things to because they like me or they want to be my friend. They was really telling me the facts of life. You see to me that obstacles gonna come in your way, barriers, you know, people gonna come and say they want to help. But you just got to be mindful of who you accept help from and don't let anybody change you from who you are.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice that I've received is that, you know, don't let anyone tell you that you can't. Because you have it in you, and you can do anything that you set your mind on doing.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
The universe is the limit. All you gotta do is see it, and you can get there. But no matter what challenges coming your way, don't let anybody stop you from striving for your goal.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The drastic changes with the laws, the regulations, and the way people do things, some people want to really take the shortcut, but the shortcut is not always the easy way. And the steps, if you have those guiding steps to take you to on that journey, or the field that I'm in it's gonna be much better in the long run, you know, rather than taking those shortcuts and trying to get things done. It's not a quick thing. You gotta really take your time and invest. Make things sustainable over a period of time.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Value is trust. Having that foundation of trust, definitely being respected, having a voice, and also treating people with dignity and respect. And be kind. I walk around with a pin that says be kind, you know? And I always believe in double happiness because anything that you do in life, you know, even though it might bring challenges, turn the challenge into like something that you really determined to do and make it a happy moment.
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