Her Story
About Faith
Faith Proctor, Ed.S., is a senior talent, leadership, and organizational development practitioner with extensive experience spanning higher education and the federal government. She began her career in higher education, spending 11 years as a college administrator and part-time faculty member across community colleges and four-year institutions, including Virginia Commonwealth University. She later transitioned into federal service while pursuing advanced education, beginning as an instructional systems specialist focused on developing training and learning programs. During approximately 18½ years in federal government, Faith progressed through increasingly senior leadership and workforce-development roles, earning six promotions. She served as a professor at the Army Management Staff College, where she taught a mandatory three week leadership development program for Army civilians, and subsequently held senior training and professional development positions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. At the Department of Housing and Urban Development, she served in director-level roles involving organizational policy, planning, analysis, and the Housing Training Center. Her accomplishments include developing enterprise learning strategies, strengthening leadership pipelines, managing major learning investments, and transforming an in-person employee orientation into a virtual program that was launched within three months and remains in use. A first-generation college student, Faith holds a B.A. in Counseling and an M.A. in Higher Education Administration from Marshall University, as well as an Ed.S. in Leadership. She has also completed professional certifications and training in coaching, change management, leadership assessment, and organizational development. Having provided internal coaching and consulting within the federal government for more than 15 years, she is now transitioning into executive coaching and consulting. Faith is a member of the Association for Talent Development and has contributed to the mission of Resolve as a former group leader and counselor. She attributes her success to the mentors who supported her throughout her career and remains committed to helping others navigate obstacles, develop their potential, and build meaningful careers.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Faith
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute much of my success to having great mentors throughout my career. Mentors and coaches have provided guidance, perspective, and a trusted place to discuss information and navigate difficult or significant obstacles. Having supportive people who were willing to share their knowledge has been one of the greatest joys of my career. That experience has also inspired me to become a coach myself and provide that same type of support to others.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would encourage young women to explore as much as possible before feeling pressured to commit to one path. When choosing a major or career direction, speak with as many experienced advisors, faculty members, and professionals as you can. I did not initially know exactly what I wanted to pursue, and my own path changed several times before I discovered counseling and realized that I wanted to help people.
I also believe it is important to identify your central purpose: Who do you want to help? What do you want to accomplish? What do you want to be known for? Those questions can help bring clarity to your choices. At the same time, don't be afraid to change your major or career direction. Inspiration does not always arrive at the beginning of a degree or career, and discovering a better path is part of the process.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges I have experienced, particularly earlier in my career, was being taken seriously as a woman. I often looked much younger than I actually was, which meant I had to work harder to establish credibility and make sure my voice was heard. As I advanced through the federal government and ultimately reached the GS-15 level, I learned that credibility comes from the quality and impact of your work rather than simply from a title.
Another challenge is that people sometimes listen to respond rather than listen to understand. For me, being heard and ensuring that meaningful ideas are recognized has been an important part of professional growth. I ultimately learned that I would rather be respected for the quality of my work than simply respected because of a position or title.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity is my number-one value. I believe in doing what I say and saying what I do, and I place a very high value on honesty and consistency. Work ethic is also extremely important to me. I am a hard worker, and I value that same commitment and dedication in the people I work with.
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