ABOUT US
Valent creates a prescient line of sight to the future that accelerates transformation and alleviates enterprise risk.
Valent consultants leverage deep experience in global project development, enterprise implementations, market foresight, and supplier management to build and deploy best-in-class solutions that deliver measurable and sustainable success.
WE | CHARTER | SUCCESS
OUR TEAM
Justin Valentine
President & CEO
Justin Valentine is President & CEO at Valent. He has over 20 years of global experience delivering complex projects and transformations in the public and private sector, and political campaigns. Justin currently advises multiple International Financial Institutions (IFIs) on best practices in operations, project feasibility, GovTech, and procurement. He has an MALD from The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, a B.A. from the University of Virginia, and completed the Program on Negotiation (PON) at Harvard Law School. Justin currently serves as Vice President for the Board of Trustees for the Two Rivers Public Charter School system in Washington, DC
Travis Mells
Partner & Director of Analytics
Travis Mells is a Partner and Director of Analytics at Valent. He has over 20 years of experience in the public and private sectors. Travis has led several cross-agency transformation initiatives within the Federal government and has also advised non-profits, International Finance Institutions, and political campaigns on a range of topics including technology transformation, business process improvement, and procurement policy reform. He has an MBA from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania, an M.S. in Mechanical Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University, and a B.S. from Washington and Lee University.
Elizabeth Grant
Senior Advisor & Strategist
Elizabeth Grant is a Senior Advisor and Strategist at Valent. She is a seasoned writer, fundraiser, manager, and strategist and has more than 15 years of experience working in the international development field where she designs and leads complex projects and relationships in senior roles for mission driven institutions. Elizabeth has managed a diverse portfolio of more than 30 projects across Asia and Africa, including both grants and impact investments with public and private sector partners. She has technical expertise in grantmaking related to economic inclusion, community driven development, blended finance, civil society strengthening, urban planning, and equity and gender. Elizabeth holds an M.A. in Urban Planning and Development from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) and a B.A. from Tufts University
Nicholas Lesher
Director of Inclusive Financial Services
Nick has over a decade of experience supporting inclusive financial services. His work has focused on the intersection of financial services, digital technology, merchant acceptance, supply chain payments, and user-centered design research. Projects involve supporting public, private, and NGO sector organizations improve existing financial products and services; target new, traditionally under-served market segments; build private sector capacity as well as the comprehension and capacity of customers; and assess funding or investment opportunities to deepen or expand financial services delivery. Nick has worked in over a dozen markets over a wide geographic range that includes Haiti, West, South, and East Africa, and S/SE Asia.
Alvaro Zarate
Sr. Director – Strategic Business Planning
Alvaro Zarate is a senior corporate finance and strategic planning advisor. He has over 20 years of successful business experience, proficient in the areas of financial & operational management, profitability, and partnering across complex global organizations. He is recognized as a trusted
finance professional partnering with c-level executives to advise in multi-billion-dollar budgets and forecasts, accommodating for market volatility and long-term business plans for significant budget declines, effectively overseeing and consulting on corporate finance leading large-scale finance initiatives from strategy through execution. Diverse finance industry experience including banking, technology, retail, and e-commerce industries. He has an MBA from New York University Leonard N. Stern School of Business, specialization in Finance, Strategy, and Leadership, and a B.B.A in Economics and International Business from the Temple University Fox School of Business.
OUR SERVICE OFFERINGS
S.O.S
Sourcing of Supply
Sourcing / Negotiation Strategy for complex supply and services including execution, negotiation, commercial modeling, and Service Legal Agreements (SLAs) and Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
Strategic Advisory Services
Advisory across a range of corporate strategy, commercial negotiation, project and product development
Procurement Transformation
Assessment and deployment of “Procurement in a Box” including policies, organizational structure, technology recommendations, spend analysis, and business process optimization
Capital Raising and Project Financing
Matchmaking and navigating grant, debt, and equity investments with International Financial Institutions (IFIs), banks, and private equity
Digital Transformation and Modernization
Assessment of people, process, technology, data and policies to inform and implement a digital transformation roadmap
Data
Analysis
Commercial modeling and complex market data analysis
Market
Intelligence
Penetrating market intelligence, including market profiles, supplier information and price benchmarking
Professional Development and Training
Deployment of training and development services including specific training on transformation frameworks, negotiation, and market research
OUR PARTNERS
AVASANT
Avasant is a leading management consulting firm focused on translating the power of technology into realizable business strategies.
Based in Los Angeles, CA
GUIDEHOUSE
Guidehouse offers skilled consulting teams with fresh perspectives to help our commercial and public sector clients achieve mission success in innovative yet practical ways.
Based in Washington DC
SIMON EVERETT
Simon Everett is a consulting firm that helps organizations make better decisions and realize improved outcomes through tailored research analysis and strategic planningengagements.
Based in New York, NY
EMERGING SUN
Emerging Sun is a niche management consulting firm that delivers an array of strategic services, enabling clients to maximize their Return on IT investments.
Based in Bethesda, MD
TENZING CONSULTING
Tenzing Experts bring real-world experience and practical, proven approaches that have worked in practice.
Based in Pittsburg, PA
DEGA LLC
DeGA builds on project experience and sector specific data to deliver customized analytical research and recommendations to meet clients needs.
Based in Washington DC
REVOLVE SOLUTIONS
Revolve Solutions serves as a prime and subcontractor to many goverment programs within the Federal contracting space.
Based in Alexandria, VA
LUWAJI NOMINEES
LUWAJI Nominees is a partnership firm that provides stellar and cost- effective support to help relieve the burden of our clients’ corporate administration.
Based in Lagos, Nigeria
SETUKA PARTNERS
Setuka enables the flow of capital and capacity between the “developed” and “developing” world.
Based in Arlington, VA
JULIUS EDU
Julius delivers leading, on-demand training solutions that help attract, develop, and retain skilled talent for infrastructure utilities, companies, and associations.
Based in Cambridge, MA