Kind Words

Valerie brings a fantastic combination of her counseling, leadership and organizational skills to her coaching work. She listens with real heart and has a finely honed ability to cut through the noise to identify underlying causes and patterns when you bring personal or professional challenges to her. I believe the reason why Valerie is deeply respected by generations of students and uniformly by her colleagues is that she brings real joy and endless energy to her role as coach and educator. As an experienced coach and consultant myself, I deeply respect her as a peer supervisor and coach's coach.

Mohan Sikka, CPCC, CGT (he, him)
Leadership Coach, Team Facilitator, Organizational Consultant

Valerie's kind, brilliant, and insightful wisdom has been a well that I have often returned to over the course of the years. There are few people that I inherently trust the way that I trust Val. Not only because of her integrity and the safe (though brave) space that she creates, but because I know it is her heart's desire to journey with and encouragingly push each and every individual who reaches out to her. And she does this so well.

Reverend Chaz Howard, PhD
Chaplain, University of Pennsylvania

Valerie has helped me to feel encouraged and confident throughout my career journey. Over the past 10 years, I have transitioned to different types of organizations and moved across the country. Valerie was the type of mentor who was able to remind me that staying true to who I am is important to finding and achieving the work I want to be doing in the world.

Elissa Buxbaum 
Director of Campus Affairs, Anti-Defamation League

Valerie has had an indelible impression on both my personal and professional growth. Throughout undergrad and post-graduation, she has always been able to ask me the questions that need asking. I remember struggling at my first job out of college and it felt like something that would always define me. Valerie was able to frame the experience in a way that was healthier. Whether we’re talking about work or personal relationships, she has an amazing ability to make space for me while holding me accountable to my own values and feelings.

Angbeen Saleem
​Digital Communications Coordinator, North Star Fund

Valerie is an insightful mentor. She was supportive in my growth to becoming a higher education professional. I was new to the profession, it was daunting and I didn't feel like I belonged. But with Valerie’s guidance and support, I became comfortable and I knew I belonged. We discussed programming, how to support our organizations, career development and my own personal growth. We discussed what approach to take when a student organization ran into commitment issues, or board tension arose. Or at times how to continue positive collaborations with colleagues who were demanding. Each event became a teachable moment, which we analyzed and determined a solution. Today, I am comfortable with myself, my skill sets, and I have the ability to apply her guidance in all my professional experiences, even beyond higher education. I will always be grateful for Valerie being on my team!

Vanessa Tyankova
Former Associate Director of the Greenfield Intercultural Center

Valerie is a cherished mentor and colleague. I have worked with her in many different capacities throughout the past 12 years. Valerie is the type of mentor that comes to mind when pondering difficult challenges and big decisions, particularly at times of personal and professional transition, because she is an inquisitive listener who asks incisive and deep questions. Valerie's extensive experience in higher education, her warmth and supportive nature make her my go-to person when I need strategic and career advice. She has coached me to embrace challenges for which I did not feel ready at the time, such as developing and teaching a graduate level class, and taking on my first Director job in Higher Education. In addition, she is an amazing connector, who not only knows a lot of people, but always has just the right referral for a specific situation. 

I am deeply grateful for her sage advice throughout the years and know many people (students and colleagues alike) are also.

Sarvelia Peralta-Duran
​Administrative Director for the Jerome Fisher Program in Management and Technology,
​​University of Pennsylvania

Val and the Greenfield Intercultural Center at the University of Pennsylvania (which she directs) are the reason I didn't throw in the towel and drop out of undergrad in Philadelphia (at least 100 different times). She helped guide me through the bogs of sorrow. She creates and sustains spaces where the best collaboration and shared understanding is possible. And she gave me courage by example that I could trod a path that would make it easier for others who come after.

Elaine A. Bretschneider
Master of Social Work, University of Pennsylvania

Valerie is someone who lives her purpose. When connecting with her you cannot help but strive to live in alignment with your goals and values. Valerie has supported me in navigating challenges in my personal, academic and professional life. I found her way of guiding and challenging me to be empowering in identifying my truth, discovering a purposeful career path, and ensuring that I am empowered to continuously grow and better myself. Through her work on herself and her relationship with people in all walks of life, she is an impeccable connector. She is genuinely invested in every person who is lucky enough to come across her path, and you cannot help but become better from knowing her.

Mariya Keselman
Art Therapist