Valarie Gilbert, MS, PCC

I spent more than 30 years building a career in technology, beginning as an engineer and eventually leading global organizations and teams across countries and cultures. It wasn't a career path I could have mapped out when I started, and some of the most meaningful experiences came from the unexpected turns along the way. One of my favorite chapters was leading a remarkably talented team working in language translation technology. We built systems that translated technical content into more than 20 languages. I loved the technology, but what stayed with me most was the people—the energy of a team doing difficult work together, learning from one another, and creating something none of us could have created alone. Years later, I still miss that team. That experience reflects something I've come to believe about leadership and life: so much depends on our ability to understand one another. What we intend isn't always what someone else hears or experiences. Learning to close that gap has been a thread throughout my career and, ultimately, led me to executive coaching. Today, I'm an ICF Professional Certified Coach (PCC) and am continuing my training toward the MCC credential. My coaching is also informed by tools and approaches including Hogan, DISC, Emotional and Positive Intelligence. I don't believe any assessment or framework has the answer. I use them to deepen the conversation—to help clients see themselves differently, recognize patterns, and discover possibilities they may not have considered. Learning, education, and cultural experiences continue to be important parts of my life. I serve on the University of Pittsburgh Alumni Association Board and as Vice Chair of the Girl Scouts of Central & Southern New Jersey Board of Directors. Both give me the opportunity to contribute to communities I care about while continuing to learn from people whose experiences may be very different from my own. I'm naturally curious about people—the choices they've made, the experiences that shaped them, what they want next, and sometimes what's getting in their way. I bring that curiosity to every coaching relationship, along with the perspective of someone who has experienced the successes, mistakes, transitions, difficult decisions, and uncertainty that come with a long career. I don't believe there's one right way to lead or one definition of success. I believe in creating a space where people can think honestly about who they are, how they're experienced by others, and who they want to become—with curiosity without judgment, trust without limits, and courage without doubt.