Valerie E. Patton serves as Vice President, Economic Inclusion and Executive Director of the Saint Louis Business Diversity Initiative. In this role, she develops strategies, solutions and programs for organizations in the St. Louis region in the area of workforce diversity and inclusion, including recruitment, retention and advancement of talented people of color. She does this through training, convening, consulting and regional economic inclusion initiatives. Ms. Patton is the founder of the Initiative Fellows Program, a yearlong leadership development experience, and Gateway Connections, a welcoming orientation for professionals of color.

Prior to this position Ms. Patton served as Vice President of Telephone Banking Change Management for Bank of America – St. Louis, where she was responsible for the management of large projects as they related to sales and marketing initiatives in the call/contact centers.