Mrs. Valerie Ellis Lavin is a retired Army First Sergeant and the Founder and CEO of Luminary Global. Proudly partnering with her husband, Jeremy Lavin who acts as the company’s COO. Luminary provides emergency product solutions to those who are the lifeline between preventable death and hospital care. Luminary’s mission is to help citizens, government, first responders, law enforcement, and military protect their families and save lives in their communities at home and abroad. Luminary’s ability to offer both commercial and customized emergency product solutions make it unique in its industry. In addition to the everyday citizen, Luminary’s customers range from municipalities like Prince William County Virginia Fire and Rescue to corporations such as Door Dash. Luminary has recently partnered with multiple non-profits providing trauma kits and medical supplies to the humanitarian effort in Ukraine.

Philanthropically, Valerie is devoted to help Veterans and their families start their own businesses. Since retiring in 2014, Valerie has woven herself in the entrepreneurial ecosystems throughout the United States supporting early-stage startups. A partnership with other Veteran and Military Spouse entrepreneurs led to creation of Action Zone, Inc, an organization supporting the military and Veteran community in their pursuit to become entrepreneurs. Valerie is a certified Ice House Entrepreneur Program facilitator from the Entrepreneurial Learning Initiative as well as a certified CO.STARTERS facilitator. Beyond her role as Chairman of the Board of Directors for Action Zone, you’ll often see her at the podium facilitating Action Zone’s curriculum. Valerie’s passion to increase the number of military founded companies goes beyond Tampa Bay through her role with Bunker Labs. Valerie supports 86 volunteer Ambassadors across the country in helping Veteran and Military Spouses grow their network and acquire capital.

Valerie’s military experience prepared her to lead a company whose purpose is to ensure heroes are properly equipped. Throughout her Army career Valerie held several leadership positions including Squad Leader, Platoon Sergeant, and First Sergeant for 339th Military Intelligence Company (Multiple Composition), Operations Battalion, 470th Military Intelligence Brigade, First Sergeant for Bravo Company, 4-3 Brigade Support Troops Battalion, 3rd Infantry Division, United States Central Command (USCENTCOM) J2 Army Enlisted Leader, and US CENTCOM Commandant Headquarters First Sergeant.

In recent years, Valerie has been recognized by a number of organizations for her efforts to support the Veteran community: 2021 Veterans of Foreign Wars #StillServing Honoree; 2019 National Veteran Small Business Coalition, Veteran Training Symposium Scholarship Recipient; 2019 Community Hero (Seminole Hard Rock Gasparilla Pirate Fest and Gasparilla Parade of the Pirates); 2018 Ybor Heroes Award (Ybor City Chamber of Commerce); 2017 Business Woman of the Year honoree, category finalist and winner of the “Roar” Award (Tampa Bay Business Journal); 2016 Susie Steiner’s Community Impact Award (Hillsborough Community College); 2015 Hero at Work Award (Tampa Bay Business Journal); and the 2014 Army Noncommissioned Officer of the Year (Greater Tampa Chamber of Commerce).

To learn more about Valerie go to Luminary Global. Expect the Unexpected – Be Prepared