Entrepreneur; First woman to head Foundation; First person from Verde Valley to head Foundation; Student, wine maker; smashing the glass ceiling
The August/September issue of Prescott Woman features Dr. Lisa Rhine and ten outstanding Yavapai Community College faculty and staff, including Verde Valley’s own Valerie Wood. Ms. Wood has smashed the invisible glass ceiling, at least at the Foundation, that may have effectively barred women from advancing. She is believed to be the first female president of the Yavapai Community College Foundation. She is the first person from the Verde Valley to lead the prestigious organization. However, the feature story in Prescott Woman is not about all that.
The story on Valerie Wood provides a look at her background including a stint with McDonald’s Corporation in the Real Estate and Construction Division based out of Japan, and her current Valerie Wood & Associates Executive Coaching business. It reminds us that she and her husband, Dan, became students in the viticulture program and then the first student employees at the Southwest Wine Center. They helped start the student organization Grand Crew, and also generously sponsored and established a $30,000 Yavapai Community College Scholarship for students. The $30,000 Scholarship supports eight student awards per year for 10 years.
Valerie says she and her husband are literally “‘living the dream’ and making our own wine in the Verde Valley.” Take a look at the feature story in Prescott Woman. (Click here to read the feature story.)