Team
The Valentus Team is multi-disciplinary, drawing from individual specialists in fields as diverse as leadership development, information technology, organizational change, strategic planning, finance, and business intelligence. Valentus Consultants work with a wide range of clients, from start-ups to Fortune 500 Companies. The management experience and technical expertise of the Valentus team ensures the delivery of unparalleled performance in meeting client needs.
Principal Consultants
Chris Ragland, MBA
Chris Ragland has served as a principal in over a dozen companies providing various levels of leadership and support. His specializations include navigating rapid business change, mapping processes during periods of ambiguity, forming and developing teams, and driving creativity for product and process development. Chris has a broad base of industry experience including high tech, real estate, construction, telecom, mobility, the arts, insurance, film, and retail.
As a graduate alumni advisor, Chris has travelled to various locations in North America, Latin America, Europe, and Asia. Offering advice and guidance to students and business owners alike, Chris has shared his passion for the development of a positive and purposeful corporate culture.
Active in his community, Chris works with various non-profits including Texas Parks and Wildlife, Caritas, The Salvation Army, and Ballet Austin Guild. Chris holds a BA in Entrepreneurship with honors as well as an MBA in Global Entrepreneurship from St. Edward's University.
Linhda Le, MBA
Linhda Le has been in the finance and banking industry with a concentration in commercial loan portfolio management and relationship management since 1997. She started her banking career with Wells Fargo Bank in Houston, TX where she drastically improved her branch's customer service ratings. Thereafter, she positioned herself as one of the top female relationship managers and loan officers at MetroBank, a pioneer Asian bank in Houston, TX. Linhda then moved to Austin, TX to join a private broker/dealer firm where she does cash management for commercial loan portfolios ranging from $1 million to $350 million. She has experience in various aspects of financial forecasting and analysis, credit analysis, resource allocation, and accounting and control. She is also a partner of a financial services firm where she manages its operations, tax services, real estate mortgage and accounting/financial reporting.
Linhda keeps to her roots by volunteering within her community, which includes nonprofit organizations such as Foundation Communities (provides financial assistance and housing to low income families), Austin chapter of Messengers of Love (provides educational funding for orphan children in southwest Asia and partners with Operations Smile in Vietnam to help burned victims), and the Houston chapter of Phat Giao Hoa Hao Buddhist organization. Linhda is a very determined and dedicated working professional and mom. She has a humble heart and a passion for helping everyone around her and has taken special interest in social interest projects. Alongside Dr. Gary Pletcher, Director of St. Edward's University's Global Business and Social Justice Institute, as her mentor, Linhda has traveled to Central America, Mexico, Europe,and Asia as a volunteer participant and graduate alumni advisor on leadership workshops and various social and business programs.
Linhda received her BA in Finance from University of Houston and MBA with Honors recognition from St. Edward's University. She speaks and writes in Vietnamese.
Associate Consultants
Josh Donelson, MBA
Josh Donelson is an experienced technical sales executive in the Information Technology space, with a background in server and storage hardware design. His specializations include system design and architecture, complex situational analysis, efficient team building strategies to support large-scale engineering efforts, market analysis and segmentation, setup and integration of offshore and outsourced development teams, and high-level relationship selling activities.
Josh is an accomplished public speaker, having built and delivered ground breaking marketing activities reaching thousands of customers via engaging live events. Josh holds a special interest in the Austin civil service, and is active with several non-profits, providing fundraising services and management consulting for the Emergency Service Pipes and Drums Association (www.espadatx.org) and the Austin Fire Museum (www.austinfiremuseum.com). Josh holds a BS in Electrical Engineering from the University of Texas and an MBA from St. Edward's University.
Pamela Hooper, MBA
Pamela Hooper has impacted various sized organizations and industries in her 12 years of Human Resource experience. She creates forward thinking business solutions and has a passion for business analysis, designing the plan to move forward, and implementing it. As an HR/Business consultant, she has developed HR departments, counseled businesses with strategic decisions, assisted with Mergers/Acquisitions, developed extensive learning programs, negotiated benefits, designed HR project plans, implemented software systems such as HR Information Systems, Payroll and Benefits, and more, all with exceeding the expectations of the client.
She is a member of Austin’s HR Management Association and the Society for HR Management. She trains and speaks at various conferences in her local region as well as mentors peers. Globally speaking, Pam has experience working in over 25 different countries advising, counseling and providing guidance to business owners and students alike. With projects like eco-traveling and social development in Costa Rica, she has continuing determination in sharing her passion in making an impact on the world. Pamela provides effective and efficient solutions to each of her clients. She is dedicated to providing the necessary outcome for each one of her clients to ensure they continue their business with the proper strategy, embracing change, and effective processes that align with their vision.
Pamela earned both her Master’s of Business Administration in Human Resource Management and Bachelor’s in Business Management with Honors and Summa Cum Laude recognition from the St. Edward’s University. She earned recognition for working on the Dean Leadership Counsel and was the President of the student Society for HR Management Organization while obtaining her MBA. She also has an Associate in Business and certificates in Human Services and Legal Aid.