Breakthrough Conversation with Valerie Holland

In this ‘breakthrough’ conversation, Angela shares the mic with Valerie Holland, Director of Team Environment for the Houston Dynamo Football Club. (What a cool job title!) Valerie welcomes new players to the club, and supports them throughout their tenure with the organization. In some respects, she is a unicorn in the sports industry having a 12-year tenure with the club, holding multiple roles, and coming from a non-sports background. Val gives voice to the fact that a job in sports operations is not as ‘sexy’ as it looks. When she started, she had to learn her role on her own, so she gave herself a timeline to see if this is something she really wanted to do. Thankfully, she stayed, and along the way, created multiple careers for herself within the club, maximizing her passion for outreach to youth in the community. Val has not scored 1 goal for the team on the pitch, but to so many in our community, she is the person we think of when we think of the Dynamo/Dash. You are a difference-maker, Val!Pivots are not detours; they are the breakthroughs needed to expand the path forward. Consume this podcast wherever you get yours, and connect with Angela across social channels. Share your breakthrough moments that may give someone else the courage to pivot. Thank you for being here.