EP10: Leading in Diversity and Determination w/ Valerie E. Patton

Valerie Patton shares with Dr. Dudley how she turned her passion for diversity into becoming an industry leader in diversity development.  Valerie is the  Senior Vice President, Inclusion and Talent Attraction and Executive Director, Saint Louis Business Diversity Initiative

BIO of Guest: Valerie E. Patton
 
 An innovative catalyst, connector, results oriented, teacher and proven thought leader with an extensive background of success in building, leading and designing Diversity, Inclusion and Talent strategies and programs that increase revenue, deepen client loyalty, raise teammates productivity that ultimately correlates to better engagement and retention.
  
 As Senior Vice President, Inclusion and Talent Attraction and Executive Director for the Saint Louis Business Diversity Initiative for the St. Louis Regional Chamber, Patton is responsible for the strategic direction and management of diversity, equity, and inclusion and workforce/talent for the business community in the Saint Louis region through training, convening and consulting and regional economic inclusion initiatives. She is the first Executive Director of the Initiative. She is founder of the Initiative Fellows Program (a yearlong leadership development experience) and Gateway Connections (a welcoming orientation for professionals of color.) Currently, creating new economic opportunities through business diversity/inclusion/equity and workforce development. She is responsible for overseeing the strategy development and execution in these 5 strategic functional areas: multicultural leadership development programming and relationships, workforce strategies, inclusive business solutions, talent attraction and diversity, equity and inclusion with individualized targets in each functional area.
 
 Patton’s work was featured in the May 2008 edition of Black Enterprise Magazine. She has also been featured in 2013 in Diversity Inc.com magazine “How to Create a Diversity-Friendly City.” She is leading, serving and making a sustainable difference in the business community she serves.
 
 Prior to being appointed in April 2002 to her current position, Patton served as Vice President – Telephone Banking Change Management for Bank of America – Nationally and was responsible for the management of large projects as they related to sales and marketing initiatives in the call/contact centers.
 
 Patton has held numerous management positions with Bank of America and AT&T (formerly SBC and Southwestern Bell). She served as Vice President – Supplier Diversity and Development, Midwest Region; Vice President – Network and Desktop Technology, Midwest Region; Director – Product Management (Advance Intelligent Network Products) and Process Specialist – Information Systems. Patton is a proven professional is the areas of cost accounting, project management, process management, strategy development, supplier diversity and data center operations and technical support.
 
 She serves as an adjunct professor at the George Warren Brown School of Social Work at Washington University in St. Louis. She has also served as an adjunct instructor at Harris Stowe State College and Saint Louis Community College at Forest Park in the fields of management, accounting, information technology, business administration., leadership and social justice and human diversity.