Her Story
About Valerie
My career started with a philosophy degree from St. John’s College, a place that changes lives. A liberal arts education taught me how to think, how to ask better questions, and how to stay curious when the answer isn’t obvious.
I moved into marketing through market research at a small consulting firm, where the seeds of independence and entrepreneurship really took hold. I built my foundation in marketing operations, data interpretation, and analytics, and I learned how to see patterns in how people behave.
In 2017, I chose leadership over becoming a behind-the-scenes subject matter expert. I’m an extrovert, and I love working directly with clients and teams.
Today, I’m a fractional CMO and consultant specializing in community-building strategies, grounded in a decade of high-stakes crowdfunding launches. I’ve supported direct-to-consumer brands using crowdfunding to secure their first audience, which requires growing community from 0 to 100 quickly. Now, I bring that same community-first approach to any business that wants growth rooted in trust, belonging, and momentum.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Valerie
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would say having grandparents who were so involved in my upbringing. They were really asking questions like 'How are your grades? How are you doing?' That kind of support and involvement is definitely what I hope for my future children. Having grandparents who cared so deeply about my development and took such an active interest in my life made all the difference in where I am today.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Choose discomfort, because that's where the growth happens.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Volunteer. Raise your voice. Look for a need and say, 'I can take this on.' And don't be afraid if you don't know how to do it yet - you'll figure it out. The key is to step up, identify where you can contribute, and have the confidence to learn as you go.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
I think both the challenge and the opportunity is AI technology. The question is: how do we create space for humans as AI comes alongside us as a partner in a lot of the tasks that we're looking to accomplish? How does AI increase productivity and increase capacity, without taking away what makes us human? That's the balance we need to figure out.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I value participation and I build environments where people can contribute meaningfully, regardless of rank. I do my best work with teams who want real collaboration and honest dialogue, not just a list of tasks to execute.
That philosophy comes from St. John’s College, where every class was discussion-based and the work was writing and presenting. Everyone was invited to the table, and everyone was expected to think.
I bring that approach into marketing teams: mutual respect, strong opinions held with humility, and a willingness to work ideas through together until the best strategy is clear.
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