Valerie Capers Workman is the former Vice President, People for Tesla®, a business executive and the current Chief Talent Engagement Officer for Handshake.
Photo Credit: Suzanne Covert Photography
Handshake is the #1 place where early talent finds their first job. Handshake’s community includes over 15 million students and young alumni worldwide from 1,500 educational institutions, including four-year colleges, community colleges, boot camps, and 300+ minority-serving institutions. The platform connects up-and-coming talent with 900,000+ employers – from Fortune 500 companies to thousands of public school districts, healthcare systems, nonprofits, and more.
Prior to joining Handshake, Valerie served as the VP of People at Tesla, where she reported directly to the CEO. At Tesla, Valerie became known as “Tesla’s Top Diversity Advocate,” where she started with the company as the Head of Compliance, leading the governance and legal compliance operations that paved the way for the construction of Tesla’s Shanghai, Berlin, and Austin Gigafactories. As Tesla’s People Leader, Valerie led the doubling of the workforce from 50K to 100K employees, published the company’s first-ever DEI Report, created a comprehensive online Employee Guidebook replacing the “Anti-Handbook, Handbook,” enhanced pay equity processes, expanded mental health benefits, and led the design and roll-out of Tesla’s company-wide Respectful Recharge training program. Valerie has 20 years of executive leadership experience across a variety of sectors, including Electric Vehicle Manufacturing, Tech, Hospitality, Audit and Advisory, and Consumer Packaged Goods.
Valerie is 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!”
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, and she is the 2024 Diversity Champion Award recipient bestowed by St. John’s University School of Law.
Valerie is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and Black Women On Boards.
