Jan 3, 2021
In this podcast, Patti Phillips is joined by Valerie Cleary,
director of athletics at Portland State University
Val has somewhat of an underdog story that reminds young women that
a career in sports is possible! A small, farm town girl from
Northern California who never aspired to be an athletic director -
Val used her undergrad experiences as a tour guide, orientation
leader and sorority sister to find her passion for higher
education, which led to a Masters in Counseling and Student
Development, a degree she uses every single day.
While Val has spent many years in higher education, she was only in
athletics for 1 year before being asked to serve as the interim AD,
which says a lot about her skillset and leadership abilities. She
has since been hired into two different athletic director roles and
is thriving.
Find out she created her own “search firm” for hiring new coaches,
developed her philosophy around what “fit” for a department really
means, and how she makes sure everyone working under her has a
voice in the process. Val also talks about how GIRL POWER is
important in her life thanks to the “Big Sky (Conference) Strong
Squad,” and why leading by example is so important- especially as
we continue to care for our mental health in times of
uncertainty.
Managing up in athletics, she shares, is crucial to success - and
Val is no stranger to this skill as she has navigated not one, but
THREE presidential transitions in just three years. Being a quiet
observer, communicating goals, learning your supervisor’s learning
style and getting to know your boss’s support team are some of the
tricks she has learned along the way. There are nuances to her
style, though, that are brilliant.
We hope you enjoy our conversation, and remember, we are Women
Leaders!
Head to womenleadersincollegesports.org for more about us and to
become a member!
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@WomenLeadersCS.