Valarie W. Mackey

Personal History

I am a proud Aggie with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University. My career began in management consulting with Ernst & Young where I transitioned to Information Technology, and eventually, I joined The Coca-Cola Company. I managed large global portfolios and oversaw technology solutions to enable business success. My roles encompassed strategic planning, program management, business development, customer service, vendor management, employee development, organizational optimization, and community outreach. Growing up in a community-oriented family, I have always been dedicated to volunteering and helping others, and I continued this in my professional life.

Professional Value

When I started in the consulting industry, I was put in a program for four weeks to learn how to be a consultant. We learned everything from getting through the airport to representing the brand to visiting client sites. We essentially learned how to handle ourselves. As I advanced in leadership, I recognized the lack of such training for many aspiring professionals. They work hard and don’t want to fail, but often, they don’t know how to navigate the corporate landscape effectively. I dedicated time to mentoring and developing entry-level employees, helping them understand professionalism and succeed in their careers.

My commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) stems from the start of my career and frequently being the only woman, person of color, or youngest person in professional settings, leading to feelings of inferiority and imposter syndrome. Secondly, as I traveled the globe working with diverse teams, I saw how varied perspectives and backgrounds led to innovative solutions, fueling my advocacy for DEIB and career advancement.

Leveraging personal experiences and listening to others, we build our programs at WrightNow Solutions with an understanding of people’s strengths and struggles. I want to ensure people feel empowered to use their unique voice and show up with confidence, presence, and credibility. It is also important to me that we demonstrate to employers that innovation thrives with diverse voices and an environment of belonging.

Company Origin

While still in my corporate role, I enjoyed orchestrating the delivery of customer-centric technology solutions, but I found the team development aspect more rewarding, and I shifted my attention from the technology to focus on the people who deliver the technology solutions. I enjoyed optimizing the performance and capability of the professionals in our global organization. I also found it fulfilling to work with community programs where I saw firsthand the technical aptitude and motivation that exists within people who may not have a traditional four-year degree due to various circumstances, and I realized that shouldn’t necessarily be a barrier to having a successful career. I felt that, while some jobs should require a university degree, some should not, given the wide access to knowledge and technology today.

Additionally, I was asked to work on a program that cultivated successful tech startup organizations and facilitated their connections to corporations to scale their businesses while enhancing corporate innovation. This piqued my interest in entrepreneurship. 

I formed WrightNow Solutions and continued guiding small businesses and helping people launch and grow their careers. I knew I wanted to create career mobility and leadership at all levels. The talented staff at WNS accomplishes this by training and coaching individuals from diverse backgrounds, including students, veterans, career changers, and executives.

Community Involvement

• Atlanta Technology Professionals (ATP) – Vice President
• Big Brothers Big Sisters – Volunteer as a Big Sister
• CHRIS 180 – Former Board of Directors Member, and Chair of the Technology Task Force, Human Resources and Marketing Committee member, current Advisory Council member
• Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) – Member
• North Fulton Chamber of Commerce – Member
• Tech Alpharetta – Board of Directors
• Technology Association of Georgia Education Collaborative (TAG-Ed)  – Former Vice Chair of the Board of Directors, current Advisory Council Member
• Women Presidents Organization (WPO) – Member
• Young Men’s Service League – Community Service volunteer with my son

Recognitions

Some of my most recent recognitions, which include:

• Chamber of Commerce Business Woman of Excellence Award
• Information Technology Senior Management Forum (ITSMF) Pathfinder Entrepreneurship Award 
• ITSMF Mentor of the Year Award
• National Woman of Color STEM Conference Special Recognition Award
• Tech For All Government Award