Valerie Brown

Valerie Brown is an author, Buddhist-Quaker Dharma teacher in the Plum Village tradition of socially engaged Buddhism founded by Thich Nhat Hanh, facilitator, and executive coach specializing in leadership development and mindfulness practices with a focus on diversity, social equity, and inclusion. A former lawyer and lobbyist, Valerie transformed her high-pressure, twenty-year career into serving leaders and nonprofits to create trustworthy, authentic, compassionate, and connected workspaces. An award-winning author, she is the author and coauthor of several books, including, Hope Leans Forward: Braving Your Way toward Simplicity, Awakening, and Peace (Broadleaf, 2022) that received the Nautilus Gold Award for Eastern Spirituality for 2023 and Healing Our Way Home: Black Buddhist Teachings on Ancestors, Joy, and Liberation (Parallax Press, 2024) (with Kaira Jewel Lingo and Marisela B. Gomez, MD). She facilitates national and international gatherings and retreats for nonprofits and corporations and leads pilgrimages to El Camino de Santiago, Spain and other beautiful destinations immersed in the natural world to celebrate the power of sacred places. She is a certified Kundalini yoga teacher (500 hours), engaging leaders to embody somatic wisdom and creativity. Valerie is completing training in Gestalt Psychology, Relational Life Therapy, and Earth Awareness Training to address eco-anxiety and climate grief.

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