Valarie Gelb

Valarie Gelb is CEO of Gelb Global Business Growth Advisors, providing viable business and brand strategies to corporations and nonprofits. Authenticity is established through meaningful connections with agencies, corporations, academia and NGOs. Prior to this, Gelb was chief sales development officer and executive vice president, MasterCard Worldwide, 1997 to 2010. She was one of 18 top executives who served on the Management Committee chaired by the CEO and was responsible for the global sales force in 210 countries and territories. Her expertise lies in strategic development, global customer due diligence, products and solutions, sales, marketing, business development, multi-channel distribution, operations, technology, e-commerce and risk management. Gelb holds an MBA and an undergraduate business degree with emphasis in finance and economics from Baldwin Wallace University. She served as the chief executive officer for the Global Fund for Women and is currently chairman of the board of MPOWERD, a solar-powered lighting company, and lead board director of Cimbal Inc., specializing in mobile payment and promotions. She also serves as a University of Connecticut student adviser to M.B.A. and Ph.D. students and is president of the International Women’s Forum Connecticut. In her constant pursuit of elevating women, she advises women entrepreneurs in the growth of their business.