Collaborating to build a talent pipeline with Kelli-Marie Vallieres, Office of Workforce Strategy

Kelli-Marie Vallieres, PhD learned first-hand – at her family’s manufacturing business – that leading well means learning first and then supporting her team from a place of understanding.  That approach, rooted in humility and curiosity, became the foundation for a remarkable career journey. 

In this episode, Kelli-Marie shares how the power of applied learning, genuine collaboration, and relationship-building led to national best practices like the Manufacturing Pipeline Initiative. And how that initiative led to her role at Chief Workforce Officer with Connecticut’s Office of Workforce Strategy.   

Kelli-Marie talks about:

• Asking questions before trying to lead 
• Collaboration across industry and education. 
• Building relationships to transform Connecticut’s workforce development model.  
• Being “comfortable with being uncomfortable” and how it impacts change. 

Her story is a powerful reminder that real leadership starts with learning, and that shaking up traditional systems requires courage, collaboration, and a commitment to continuous growth. 

Where you can find Kelli-Marie:  
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kelli-marie-vallieres-phd-9959a96/   
Office of Workforce Strategy: https://portal.ct.gov/gwc/ows-initiatives   
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Podcast hosted by The Bolder Company: https://www.theboldercompany.com/ 
Podcast executive production by Gael Communications: https://www.gaelcommunications.com/ 
Podcast technical production by Miceli Productions: https://miceliproductions.com/