NEWH Winter 2022 - 50

Q&A
GETTING TO KNOW
Valerie
Coleman
What have you found to be most valuable about your NEWH involvement, both personally
and professionally?
I have found the connections to be most valuable. Getting the opportunity to meet colleagues outside
of the office and really getting the chance to learn about each other and the various roles we serve in
this industry is intriguing to me. Forging these relationships makes it so much easier to reach out to
collaborate, whether it's work projects or volunteer opportunities. And I find connecting with people at
the conferences and tradeshows creates a familiarity and comfortability, especially when traveling outside
of my home region.
What would surprise people about you?
That I'm pretty handy with some power tools and I love pickup trucks! Actually, I love cars too (sport
luxury, in particular) and take pride in being able to identify auto makes and models from the 1970s and
forward. I'm also pretty good on the grill thanks to my father.
NEWH, Inc. director of Equity,
Inclusion, and Diversity, and
senior interior design manager,
Marriott
What would people be interested to know about your company?
I've worked at Marriott International headquarters for almost 15 years now, and I still find it interesting
how many different facets, groups, contributors, and internal stakeholders it takes to get a hotel
approved, designed, built, and opened. I think people would find it interesting how much synergy there is
between these internal teams and how we're connected now more than ever in serving the interests of our
owners, their design consultants and, of course, our guests.
Where do you find inspiration, both inside and outside the industry?
I find it in music, dance, entertainment, art, and travel. Music and dance especially speak to me, and I love
watching documentaries on people-how they got to where they are inspires me. Watching persons who
are gifted in their craft perform at exceptional levels and watching how people respond is awesome. The
sounds and rhythms in music and dance help me be creative and help me get connected to the task(s) at
hand. I work to music and could not function without it!
Why do you recommend people get involved with NEWH?
I'm a huge advocate for getting involved in an organization that promotes the professions/skills that
interest YOU. Whatever industry that might be, I encourage people to get connected. It's a surefire way
to meet those in your industry and work side-by-side with them, at all levels. NEWH has been that tool
that allows you to meet other people who do what you do and exposes you to other areas in the industry
you may not have been aware existed. You get educated while networking with your colleagues. And the
biggest value is watching the many students receiving scholarships move into positions in the industry
and grow in their careers.
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50 newh.org

http://www.newh.org

NEWH Winter 2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NEWH Winter 2022