“I’M IN!”
Val Grubb
Wears
Many Hats
By Dean M. Shapiro
Valerie “Val” Grubb has lived in New Orleans for just over
two years but in that short time span, she has already
begun to make a huge impact on the local scene. She
loves hats and she wears many of them, both metaphorically and
literally in her professional and personal lives.
A well-traveled, much-sought-after management trainer, human
resources consultant, keynote speaker and published author, Val shows her
most serious side when presenting at conventions, seminars, and similar
forums. But, when it comes to cutting loose and enjoying the fun things
New Orleans has to offer, she cuts loose with the best of them.
“I just love, love, LOVE it here!” she proclaims enthusiastically, putting
the accent on the third “love.”
Already Val has joined four Carnival krewes, two of which host riding
parades (Nyx and Tucks), and she walks with the krewes of Cork and
Bosom Buddies. And, in 2017, she was elected president of the New
Orleans Film Society despite having fewer years of service with the
organization than many of her fellow board members (“I think I just
spoke up one too many times in board meetings,” she says). During
her first year on the board, she led the search for the new NOFS
director, Fallon Young.
Cheerful and outgoing with an infectious laugh, Val attends
multiple social and cultural events and has quickly been embraced
by all who meet her. During festive occasions like Christmas,
Mardi Gras, and others she loves dressing up in costumes
and sporting colorful hairpieces topped with elaborate,
intentionally gaudy, custom-designed hats. For this year’s
Krewe of Nyx women’s parade she enjoyed decorating old
purses with glitter and other colorful bling and handing
them down to the crowd from her float.
Born and raised in Indiana, Val comes to the Crescent
City after stopovers in Michigan, Los Angeles, and New
York. And, to hear her describe her experiences in New
Orleans, this could be her final destination.
“This city has more richness than any other one I’ve ever
lived in and I was in New York City for 18 years,” she said.
PHOTOGRAPHER: HOLLY-ANNE PALMER
8 | BREAKTHRU MEDIA | breakthrumediamagazine.com MAY / J U N E 2 0 1 8
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