VALERIE CAPERS WORKMAN, ESQ.

Valerie Capers Workman is the Chief Talent Engagement Officer at Handshake, where she focuses on helping employers define and execute their talent acquisition strategies. She is an established thought leader on #TheFutureOfWork, having grown a global, world-class organization from 50K to 100K employees, and provides expertise and guidance on the imminent impact of #GenAI on the global workforce – all while living her passion for democratizing #AccessToOpportunity for everyone, everywhere.

Handshake is the career platform for Gen Z. With a community of over 17 million students, alumni, employers, and career educators, Handshake’s network is where career advice and discovery turn into first, second, and third jobs. Nearly 1 million companies use Handshake to build their future workforce—from Fortune 500 to federal agencies, school districts to startups, healthcare systems to small businesses. Handshake is built for where you’re going, not where you’ve been.

Prior to joining Handshake, Valerie served as the VP of People at Tesla, where she reported directly to the CEO while leading global growth from 50K to 100K employees. At Tesla, Valerie orchestrated the expansion of the workforce from 50,000 to 100,000 employees as the company achieved record-breaking Revenue Generation, Vehicle Sales, and Vehicle Deliveries. Valerie championed and led the execution of initiatives to increase hourly wages and increase salaries, ensured that stock ownership was included in all performance awards for all employees, expanded “day one” premium-level health insurance (including zero cost options) offerings for all employees, implemented programs and resources to support wellness including directing the mental health provider to expand the backgrounds and provide a wider range of options among their therapy providers to better meet the needs of all of the company’s employees.

Valerie is also the author of the Amazon Best Selling book Quantum Progression: The Art and  Science of Career Advancement in the Age of A.I. Released in November 2023, her book has received five-star reviews from leaders globally, including Kim Scott, the New York Times best-selling author of Radical Candor who wrote, “This is a fantastic book by Valerie Capers Workman who is a great writer and a wonderful human being!”

Recently appointed to the Huston-Tillotson University Board of Trustees, Valerie has 20 years of executive leadership experience across a variety of sectors including tech, hospitality, audit and advisory and consumer packaged goods. Valerie received a B.S. in Communications from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University and a J.D. from St. John’s University School of Law. Valerie is admitted to practice law in New York, Washington, DC and Texas.