April 30, 2024

"Making the World Safe for Diversity"

Valerie Patton: We Need to Be Serious About Inclusion

2 min read

Valerie E. Patton previously served as Senior Vice President, Economic Inclusion and Executive Director of the Saint Louis Business Diversity Initiative. She leads Greater St. Louis, Inc.’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategies and programs as well as its foundation, which will be responsible for charitable revenue and an endowment. Ms. Patton founded the Chamber’s Business Diversity Initiative’s Fellows Program (a yearlong leadership development experience for professionals of color) and Gateway Connections (a welcoming orientation for professionals of color.) Both of these are now programs of GSL.

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Actively involved throughout the community, Ms. Patton has served as an adjunct professor and instructor at Washington University in St. Louis, Harris Stowe State University and St. Louis Community College, and has held board and trustee positions with organizations including the United Way of Greater St. Louis, Fontbonne University, and Howard University School of Business. In 2018, Ms. Patton was awarded the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Metropolitan St. Louis Chapter’s award for Visionary Community Leadership.

Ms. Patton holds degrees from Washington University in St. Louis, George Warren Brown School of Social Work (MSW), Webster University (MA) and Howard University (BBA) and has done post graduate studies in Business ManagementActively involved throughout the community, Ms. Patton has served as an adjunct professor and instructor at Washington University in St. Louis, Harris Stowe State University and St. Louis Community College, and has held board and trustee positions with organizations including the United Way of Greater St. Louis, Fontbonne University, and Howard University School of Business. In 2018, Ms. Patton was awarded the National Coalition of 100 Black Women Metropolitan St. Louis Chapter’s award for Visionary Community Leadership. Ms. Patton holds degrees from Washington University in St. Louis, George Warren Brown School of Social Work (MSW), Webster University (MA) and Howard University (BBA) and has done post graduate studies in Business Management

Ms. Patton holds degrees from Washington University in St. Louis, George Warren Brown School of Social Work (MSW), Webster University (MA) and Howard University (BBA) and has done post graduate studies in Business Management

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