2021 Women in Business
Featured Speaker
Valerie Mason Cunningham | Managing Director at PRIDE Matters LLC
Valerie Mason Cunningham is a certified professional leadership coach. A diplomatic, dedicated, and respected business leader recognized for leading and inspiring people to deliver excellence. A change champion and long-term value driver who leverages global business acumen in talent management, operations, marketing, sales, communications, and finance to deliver exceptional results for large, small, and midsize enterprises. She engages actively in the advocacy, discussions, and design for a diverse workforce and work environment to embrace the power of inclusion and belonging. Her mission and purpose in life-by sharing her experiences, is to help inspire leaders to up level their skills so they can maximize their impacts and full potential in their personal and professional lives, and the communities they serve.
Valerie exhibits the executive presence and leadership gravitas critical to engaging people, building consensus, collaborating with colleagues, and cultivating beneficial relationships. An exceptional presenter, speaker, facilitator, coach, and influencer, she has spent over 25 years working hand in glove with the C-suite to plan enterprise-level strategies, identify and capitalize on opportunities, and expand operational capabilities all to drive better outcomes. She has been universally recognized for her strong work ethic, integrity, authenticity, a passion for helping others succeed, being results-oriented, and a high degree of personal initiative. She is a certified Lean Six Sigma green belt skilled in problem resolution to drive improved business results and organization design.
Valerie enjoyed an extraordinarily successful career at Xerox Corporation with 38 years of progressive leadership and management experiences, while driving purposeful and consistent business results. Prior to her departure, she held the Vice President of Channel Marketing for North America Operations. She was named Senior Vice President, Sales and Client Services US-Operations, January 2012. In 2011, she was appointed Vice President and Business Transformation Executive of the United States Operations Group working directly with the President and Corporate Officer of this Business Unit. She began her Xerox career in June 1980 as a sales trainee in NY. Her focus on delivering business excellence included managing an $850M business unit and increasing the book of business by 15% YOY. Securing the largest cash sale of $68M and contracting for the largest IT services contract of $150M in the Healthcare Industry.
Valerie served as a board member on the University of Connecticut, (Stamford location) Business School Advisory Board, and served on the Vendor Advisory Council for CompTIA. At present she serves as the Chair of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee Chair for Volunteer New York! Also, at Volunteer New York! she served as the board secretary, member of the governance committee, member of the strategic planning committee, and a graduate the Leadership Westchester (LW)-class of 2018 and a member of the LW Alumni Association. Also, she currently serves as a member of the Board of Trustees and Development Committee at Mercy College, and member of the “Friends of URI” (Urban Resource Institute) focused on Domestic Violence.
Valerie earned her Bachelor of Science degree in business management and marketing communications, with a concentration in computer science from the State University of New York Old Westbury. She attended Spelman College for two years where she studied computer science. Valerie received an honorary Doctorate of Commercial Science degree from Mercy College. She has received several business and community awards including the Women’s Executive Achievement and Community Service Award from the YWCA Greenwich CT and was featured on the MacNeil/Lehrer NewsHour highlighting Xerox: Strength in Diversity.
Valerie is the managing principal of PRIDE Matters, LLC-a consulting and coaching firm and the co-founder of Mason & Rice, LLC-a coaching and facilitated learning firm. She currently resides in Westchester County, New York, with her husband and son. Valerie believes that experiences matter, everyone’s journey has purpose in life, and the greatest freedom is the freedom of choice.
