Black Women of Influence (BWOI) - Women's Organizational Meeting

Valerie Rainford is Chief of Staff to the firm’s Head of Global Compliance & Regulatory Management. In this role, she serves as business manager for the Compliance Function responsible for planning and logistics, program and project management.

Valerie’s background in crisis management, problem-solving and process improvement has served her well in a variety of positions over a 25-year career. Prior to joining the firm’s Global Compliance function in November 2011, Valerie spent two years as a member of the Mortgage Bank leadership team with responsibility for key support functions such as real estate strategy, vendor management, training and project management. She was also a key lieutenant to the CEO, COO and the Head of Mortgage Controls and a member of the Consent Order remediation team. As part of the Consent Order team, Valerie oversaw the work required to re-write policies and procedures and re-train staff affected by the new standards established for mortgage banking activity.

Prior to her work in the Mortgage Bank, Valerie was a Managing Director in the Corporate Sector’s Banking Operations, Technology and Services team where she was a Program Manager on notable events such as the WAMU and Bear Stearns mergers.

Valerie joined JPMorgan Chase in 2007 from the Federal Reserve Bank of New York. Her versatile Fed career includes leadership roles in Bank Examinations, Cash Processing, Building Operations, Accounting Operations, Credit Operations, International Operations, the Discount Window and Real Estate and General Services. In each of these roles, Valerie honed her people and process management skills. When Valerie left the Fed after 21 years of service, she held the position as its most senior African American female – the first in the country to attain the level of Senior Vice President.

Valerie makes time in her busy schedule to stay close to diversity efforts. She initiated and led the Fed's diversity activities with great results. She launched the Fed’s first ever diversity council and founded its first employee networking group. Since joining Chase, her advocacy of diversity has remained strong. She served as a member of the Bank’s Retail Financial Services Diversity Council and was Chair of the Mortgage Bank Diversity Council. Presently, she is a member of the JPMC Global Diversity Council and the Black Leaders Forum.

Both inside and outside of the firm, Valerie’s commitment to mentoring and community is equally strong. She is a past Board Trustee for Grand Street Settlement; is a Steering Committee member of the Black Women for Black Girls giving circle; is on the Executive Board of Black Women of Influence and is a member of the Executive Leadership Council.

Valerie was honored in 2007 by the Network Journal magazine as one of “25 Influential Black Women in Business” and The Harlem YMCA in 2009 as a “Black Achiever in Industry”. She was featured in the May 2010 issue of Black Enterprise magazine and the Fall 2011 Business Women’s Leadership Tribute published by Adecco.

Valerie is a graduate of Fordham University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics.