She is an amazing facilitator who encourages dialogue, provides helpful hints, and has some fun along the way.
- Stephanie McCall
About StrengthsBuilders LLC
Since 2009, StrengthsBuilders has used a proven strengths approach to bringing out the best in leaders and teams through Executive Coaching, Leadership Development Facilitation, and high-impact, high-participation team-building sessions.
Our mission is to inspire individuals to lead a purposeful life, thrive together, and pursue their passions in both their career and personal life. We aim to promote growth in knowledge and wisdom, enabling individuals to be their best selves while positively impacting others.
Our Credentials
- Valerie Plis, lead consultant and coach, has been a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach since 2006
- StrengthsBuilders LLC has been an Everything DiSC and Five Behaviors Authorized Partner since 2021
About Our Team
Valerie Plis
Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, Executive Coach, Facilitator, Consultant, Public Speaker
Valerie Plis has spent 30 years in Human Resources specializing in Organizational Development. She is a Gallup-Certified Strengths and Executive Coach, Facilitator, and President of StrengthsBuilders LLC – a coaching and training practice dedicated to bringing out the best in leaders and teams since 2009. As an experienced professional and a certified practitioner with specialized expertise, Valerie brings a unique facilitation and coaching approach to help leaders increase their influence and impact, and to help teams collaborate, innovate, and produce consistently superior results. Valerie is also a Certified Executive Coach, Certified Five Behaviors Practitioner, and certified in Crucial Conversations.
Valerie has worked with a diverse group of educational, government, nonprofit, healthcare, and large and small public and private companies throughout the U.S. and other countries. She has presented at various events such as the National Association of Workforce Development Professionals, Association for Career Colleges & Schools, Federally-Employed Women Conference, 4C Leadership Conference, Career Transition Conference for Youth, the National Multiple Sclerosis Society Leadership Conference, and more!
Valerie is a member of various civic and professional associations including the Association of Talent Development (ATD), Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM), and the International Coach Federation (ICF). She and her husband reside in Maineville, Ohio and have four children. They love to travel and spend time with their seven grandchildren.
Nerferife “Ife” Bell
Providing Exceptional Relationship Management and Leadership Development Strategies
Nerferife is known as an organizational leader who can create effective strategies to increase outcomes in multiple industries. Her career track shows measurable success working with organizations and C-level leaders to increase business performance; developing strategies that focus on leadership, diversity, equity, and inclusion. She is extremely effective in creating and delivering training to staff members across all levels of an organization and has achieved multiple accomplishments in roles such as Chief Strategy Officer, Community Partnership Manager, District Community Coordinator, School Community Resource Coordinator, along with other successful business roles as Consultant and Co-Founder. Nerferife’s academic credentials include a master’s degree in Executive Leadership and Organizational Change as well as a certified Facilitator and John Maxwell Coach. Her passion for providing guidance and effective solutions has driven her to pursue a Doctorate in Organizational Development and Change from Bowling Green State University and is expected to graduate in the summer of 2023.
Allison Steele
Sales Coach and Strengths Facilitator
Allison Steele is a certified Health and Life Coach. With a background in education and a Master’s degree in Educational Leadership, Allison’s strengths lie in delivering relevant content in a way that all can understand and apply. Her recent work in the recovery and reentry field has given her a unique understanding and ability to work with a diverse population on an individual and team level. Allison is known to lead with authenticity and vulnerability helping others to be brave enough to do the same. She has a passion for uncovering undiscovered potential and helping it to grow. Allison has extensive experience working with non-profits, for-profits and individuals. Allison is a mother to 3 beautiful children.
Rick Plis
Sales Coach and Strengths Facilitator
Rick Plis has a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering Technology from the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown – and over 30 years of experience in technical sales. Rick understands, and embraces, the concepts of success that include developing trusting relationships with clients, becoming a subject matter expert, taking the time to learn true needs and issues, and maintaining a positive and forward-moving attitude.
His strong senses of responsibility, discipline, and consistency have contributed to organizations improving efficiency, stability and growth. Rick is consistent in his efforts and is all about getting tasks accomplished. He is a responsible person who is reliable and dependable. Rick is adept at working across all internal, and external, organizational levels from hourly personnel, manufacturing laborers, engineers, management and owners.
Rick whole heartedly embraces the StrengthsBuilders’ approach to developing solutions and individuals based on positive psychology and a philosophy that values the unique qualities that each individual possesses. This is not just “feel good” consulting, selling and coaching. Rather, it is all about identifying, developing and leveraging what is “right” about people and solutions and is tied directly to your organization’s performance and business initiatives!
Rick is a Gallup-Trained Strengths Coach
What our clients say about us...
Working with Valerie was an absolute pleasure. She taught a strengths-based leadership seminar for the National Multiple Sclerosis Cincinnati’s 2017 Leadership Class. Valerie hosted 2 seminars where they learned more about their top 5 strengths and how to focus on developing them in order to be strong leaders. The class members all left feeling clearly energized and excited. I noticed after the class that their fundraising went up again. I think understanding what made them better leaders helped them push themselves towards their fundraising goal. We would happily work with Valerie again for our next Leadership Class (Challenge). I highly recommend her for your business.
I had the pleasure of learning about my strengths with the help of Valerie Plis through WE Lead. I would recommend Valerie to those who want to better understand individual talents and strengths and how best to leverage them as a team. One of Valerie’s many strengths is her wonderful presentation presence! She is an amazing facilitator who encourages dialogue, provides helpful hints, and has some fun along the way. I feel fortunate to have had two sessions with her!
Valerie first "wow-ed" when she presented StrengthsFinder to my WE Lead class. I was so impressed that I hired Valerie to conduct a strengths-based workshop for my company's Leadership Team. I can't say enough great things. The session exceeded my expectations and highly, highly recommend her to others considering taking a deeper dive into the dynamics of their team's strengths. She is incredibly knowledgeable and an enthusiastic presenter who has the ability to change the minds of any skeptics in the room!
I had the great fortune to explore my Strengths with Valerie during two full day sessions as part of my WE Lead Class 10 program. This was such an amazing part of my entire year in WE Lead and learning from Valerie not only what my strengths are, but how to apply them (and how not to) was life-changing for me. I spent this past year re-evaluating how I operate and interact with all kinds of people - colleagues, staff, alumni, friends and even family members and learned how to communicate my messages and my needs through the lens of strengths. Equally important, I learned that I need to be attuned to others' strengths so that I can leverage them and communicate with them more effectively. Thanks Valerie. You're a rock star!
My company hired Valerie for a StrengthsBuilder session for our team. Everyone found it so insightful and so powerful! I am confident that we will use our new knowledge to take our effectiveness and productivity to new heights! She really helped us see our team in new ways. Highly recommend!
The Strenghth Finder workshop was fastastic and I would recommend her to anyone who works with other people 🙂 Time with Valerie was well spent!
Valerie engaged our entire firm for 2+ hours on Strengths coaching. She was engaging and effective with our energetic group. Building teams within the Strengths philosophy is why we brought in Valerie, and she exceeded our expectations. Thank you Valerie!
Thank you Valerie for the motivating seminar you held for ARGI Financial Group. It helped my team identify ways to use our strengths to our advantage to better accomplish our goals. Our time together was very productive (not to mention fun!). I highly recommend Valerie for any organization that wants to develop strength-based leadership and team collaboration.
After selling my business, I took another C-level position in a different industry thinking that I have been successful and this would be no different. What I found was extreme dissatisfaction and dysfunction in a place I did not fit. At the recommendation of others, I sought the help of Valerie. She walked me through a discovery process that helped me understand why I have been successful in the past and the place and role that will be the most satisfying and rewarding for me. What a difference!! I found a new position that fits my strengths and I can’t thank Valerie enough. If you want to find the best role and team for you, or if you just want to make your team better. Run! Don’t walk! Valerie has the expertise that will bring results.
I just recently completed a year of executive coaching with Valerie and I have to say that it was a really meaningful and pivotal experience in my career. She helped guide me through some challenges that I have been facing both in my career and in my personal life. She truly cared about me and giving me everything I needed to come out the other side stronger, more confident, and ready to lead in my organization. She personalized her approach to my specific skills and challenges and gave me tangible tools that I can take with me to navigate anything that comes my way from here. I without a doubt recommend that if you get the opportunity to work with Valerie you take it! She was an exceptional coach and friend and I am a better person for having worked with her and gotten to know her this past year!
I have worked with Valerie both on a personal level and with my previous company, We hired Valerie to run a Strengths Workshop for our staff or 45. She facilitated the assessment tool directly with our staff, planned the workshop based on our expressed interests, took time to understand our culture and presented the material in a fun, energetic, and knowledgeable way. Valerie is so flexible and easy to work with. She is passionate about development of teams and believes in the power of her work. I would recommend Valerie for knowledge-based workshops on leadership development, strengths based topics, and career development. She provides a high level of value at a very reasonable price. I would definitely have Valerie back for other discussions and topics.
Valerie has been a valued consultant for ERS for a number of years. Specifically, Valerie has presented Strengths training for our leaders to help them better understand their unique strengths and assisted them in creating strategies for growth and development. Valerie is a trusted resources for small group team building and individual leadership development. Valerie's style of presenting information is energetic and engaging. She is compassionate, yet direct and leaves her audience with tangible tools to take a way and use.
Valerie led a dynamic and highly effective Strengths Finder session during our Staff Leadership Training in 2015. Her combination of HR expertise and deep knowledge of strengths-based development makes her a terrific partner in evaluating and designing programs aimed at your objectives, and she was resourceful and creative problem-solver on everything from time constraints, budget parameters and a very short lead time for planning. Valerie’s energy, expertise and engaging style ensured that our workshop with 300 staff felt personal and relevant. The best evidence of Valerie’s impact resides in our ongoing strengths program, with 900 staff now able to use their strengths every day.
Valerie led a very robust and informative Strengths Builders learning session for our Leadership Team. Her experience, insight and strength of character were instrumental in helping to guide our team to a greater understanding of each other as well as giving us the tools to build upon a future of tighter collaboration and trust. She is genuine and confident in her knowledge and not afraid to address sensitive issues. Just Terrific!
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Working with Valerie was an absolute pleasure. She taught a strengths-based leadership seminar for the National Multiple Sclerosis Cincinnati’s 2017 Leadership Class. Valerie hosted 2 seminars where they learned more about their top 5 strengths and how to focus on developing them in order to be strong leaders. The class members all left feeling clearly energized and excited. I noticed after the class that their fundraising went up again. I think understanding what made them better leaders helped them push themselves towards their fundraising goal. We would happily work with Valerie again for our next Leadership Class (Challenge). I highly recommend her for your business.
I had the pleasure of learning about my strengths with the help of Valerie Plis through WE Lead. I would recommend Valerie to those who want to better understand individual talents and strengths and how best to leverage them as a team. One of Valerie’s many strengths is her wonderful presentation presence! She is an amazing facilitator who encourages dialogue, provides helpful hints, and has some fun along the way. I feel fortunate to have had two sessions with her!
Valerie first "wow-ed" when she presented StrengthsFinder to my WE Lead class. I was so impressed that I hired Valerie to conduct a strengths-based workshop for my company's Leadership Team. I can't say enough great things. The session exceeded my expectations and highly, highly recommend her to others considering taking a deeper dive into the dynamics of their team's strengths. She is incredibly knowledgeable and an enthusiastic presenter who has the ability to change the minds of any skeptics in the room!
I had the great fortune to explore my Strengths with Valerie during two full day sessions as part of my WE Lead Class 10 program. This was such an amazing part of my entire year in WE Lead and learning from Valerie not only what my strengths are, but how to apply them (and how not to) was life-changing for me. I spent this past year re-evaluating how I operate and interact with all kinds of people - colleagues, staff, alumni, friends and even family members and learned how to communicate my messages and my needs through the lens of strengths. Equally important, I learned that I need to be attuned to others' strengths so that I can leverage them and communicate with them more effectively. Thanks Valerie. You're a rock star!
My company hired Valerie for a StrengthsBuilder session for our team. Everyone found it so insightful and so powerful! I am confident that we will use our new knowledge to take our effectiveness and productivity to new heights! She really helped us see our team in new ways. Highly recommend!
The Strenghth Finder workshop was fastastic and I would recommend her to anyone who works with other people 🙂 Time with Valerie was well spent!
Valerie engaged our entire firm for 2+ hours on Strengths coaching. She was engaging and effective with our energetic group. Building teams within the Strengths philosophy is why we brought in Valerie, and she exceeded our expectations. Thank you Valerie!
Thank you Valerie for the motivating seminar you held for ARGI Financial Group. It helped my team identify ways to use our strengths to our advantage to better accomplish our goals. Our time together was very productive (not to mention fun!). I highly recommend Valerie for any organization that wants to develop strength-based leadership and team collaboration.
After selling my business, I took another C-level position in a different industry thinking that I have been successful and this would be no different. What I found was extreme dissatisfaction and dysfunction in a place I did not fit. At the recommendation of others, I sought the help of Valerie. She walked me through a discovery process that helped me understand why I have been successful in the past and the place and role that will be the most satisfying and rewarding for me. What a difference!! I found a new position that fits my strengths and I can’t thank Valerie enough. If you want to find the best role and team for you, or if you just want to make your team better. Run! Don’t walk! Valerie has the expertise that will bring results.
I just recently completed a year of executive coaching with Valerie and I have to say that it was a really meaningful and pivotal experience in my career. She helped guide me through some challenges that I have been facing both in my career and in my personal life. She truly cared about me and giving me everything I needed to come out the other side stronger, more confident, and ready to lead in my organization. She personalized her approach to my specific skills and challenges and gave me tangible tools that I can take with me to navigate anything that comes my way from here. I without a doubt recommend that if you get the opportunity to work with Valerie you take it! She was an exceptional coach and friend and I am a better person for having worked with her and gotten to know her this past year!
I have worked with Valerie both on a personal level and with my previous company, We hired Valerie to run a Strengths Workshop for our staff or 45. She facilitated the assessment tool directly with our staff, planned the workshop based on our expressed interests, took time to understand our culture and presented the material in a fun, energetic, and knowledgeable way. Valerie is so flexible and easy to work with. She is passionate about development of teams and believes in the power of her work. I would recommend Valerie for knowledge-based workshops on leadership development, strengths based topics, and career development. She provides a high level of value at a very reasonable price. I would definitely have Valerie back for other discussions and topics.
Valerie has been a valued consultant for ERS for a number of years. Specifically, Valerie has presented Strengths training for our leaders to help them better understand their unique strengths and assisted them in creating strategies for growth and development. Valerie is a trusted resources for small group team building and individual leadership development. Valerie's style of presenting information is energetic and engaging. She is compassionate, yet direct and leaves her audience with tangible tools to take a way and use.
Valerie led a dynamic and highly effective Strengths Finder session during our Staff Leadership Training in 2015. Her combination of HR expertise and deep knowledge of strengths-based development makes her a terrific partner in evaluating and designing programs aimed at your objectives, and she was resourceful and creative problem-solver on everything from time constraints, budget parameters and a very short lead time for planning. Valerie’s energy, expertise and engaging style ensured that our workshop with 300 staff felt personal and relevant. The best evidence of Valerie’s impact resides in our ongoing strengths program, with 900 staff now able to use their strengths every day.
Valerie led a very robust and informative Strengths Builders learning session for our Leadership Team. Her experience, insight and strength of character were instrumental in helping to guide our team to a greater understanding of each other as well as giving us the tools to build upon a future of tighter collaboration and trust. She is genuine and confident in her knowledge and not afraid to address sensitive issues. Just Terrific!
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