Tracey Virtue
Tracey Virtue is a seasoned leadership expert and executive with over 30 years of experience guiding organizations through growth, transformation, and cultural revitalization. She is the founder of The Virtue Effect Leadership, where she partners with visionary CEOs and executive teams to turn underperformance into sustainable momentum by focusing on curiosity, culture, and principled leadership. Throughout her career, Tracey has led companies to remarkable results, including 6X revenue growth, consistent SaaS Rule of 40+ performance, 100%+ net revenue retention, and high customer satisfaction, while successfully integrating multiple acquisitions. Her approach emphasizes elevating people, creating psychologically safe environments, and ensuring that culture drives both engagement and business outcomes.
Tracey’s professional journey spans leadership roles in SaaS and e-commerce, including NEOGOV, where she scaled the company from 100 to over 1,000 employees, expanded product offerings fivefold, and achieved exceptional operational and financial results, and US Auto Parts, where she led a major transformation from a content repository to a thriving B2B platform. Her experience also includes teaching and mentorship; she served as an adjunct instructor at UCLA Anderson School of Management, mentoring global executives on persuasive communication and strategic leadership. She holds an MBA from UCLA Anderson and a Bachelor of Commerce in Management Information Systems from Carleton University, and has furthered her professional development with programs at UC Irvine and ESSEC Business School.
In addition to her consulting and executive work, Tracey is an accomplished keynote speaker and author, with her upcoming book Leveraging the Virtues of Leadership aiming to bring humanity back into business by addressing underperformance through curiosity, presence, and principled action. She is recognized for her ability to guide organizations through complexity, helping leaders build resilient teams, align culture with strategy, and create legacies that endure. Beyond business, she has actively contributed to mentorship and professional organizations, including Women Unlimited, Inc., Chapman University’s entrepreneurship program, and the Chief Women’s Organization, consistently empowering the next generation of leaders.
• UCLA Anderson School of Management - MBA
• UCLA Anderson - Dean's MBA Honor Society Award
• Carleton University Academic High Honor Award - Bachelor of Commerce
• UCLA Orange County
• Joyely
• Women Unlimited
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to making people matter—ensuring that both employees and customers feel seen and heard. I focus on building resilient teams and adapting processes to meet human needs, because I believe that when people feel valued, organizations thrive.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best career advice I ever received came from a COO at U.S. Auto Parts, who encouraged me to pursue an MBA. I was fortunate that the company supported me in completing an Executive MBA at UCLA, which proved to be a transformative step in my career.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
My advice to young women entering this industry is to cultivate self-belief and develop mastery over both your inner and outer voices. I encourage embracing curiosity to ask thoughtful, unbiased questions and to always value the perspectives and contributions of your team. Additionally, I recommend finding a champion within your organization—someone who can advocate for you and help open doors to new opportunities.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges—and opportunities—in my field right now is addressing underperformance that stems from neglecting human factors. Organizations are also navigating sudden shifts, such as remote work, while working to identify sustainable revenue models and achieve product-market fit during periods of pivot. At the same time, there’s a critical need to scale the customer experience without compromising profitability.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The values most important to me, both in my work and personal life, are humanity in business, curiosity, and a strong belief in oneself. I also place great importance on appreciation, active listening, and ensuring that people feel genuinely valued.
Locations
The Virtue Effect Leadership
Las Vegas, NV 89113