Valerie Holland

Director of Team Environment at Houston Dynamo

“Valerie Holland leads the day-to-day environment of the first team, helping uphold club culture while supporting players, staff, and their families. After starting in community relations and leading Dynamo & Dash Charities for 12 years, she transitioned to the team side, where she continues to make a lasting impact through relationship-building and leadership.

With a background in Business Administration and an MBA in Sports & Entertainment, Valerie credits internships, mentorship, and persistence as key to her 21-year career in sports. She’s passionate about game days, empowering others, and reminding young women to network, stay confident, and never give up.

Thank you, Valerie, for sharing your journey and inspiring the next generation of women in sports.“

– Zara

Please describe your role & responsibilities at that position?

I oversee the day-to-day environment of the first team with a strong emphasis on establishing, developing, and upholding the club’s cultural standards. I work closely with the Director of Soccer Operations to ensure a seamless transition for players, staff, and their families relocating to Houston. I also assist players and staff throughout the year on anything they need. I’m the main point of contact between the team and the front office staff and help to make sure that there is cohesion between both groups.

What did you study in college and how did your educational background shape your career in the sports industry?

For my undergraduate degree, I majored in Business Administration with an emphasis in Secondary Education. I also received an MBA with an emphasis in Sports and Entertainment. During undergrad I always wanted to be a teacher, but needed an internsip. My final semester of school I took an internship with Kroenke Sports where I fell in love with sports. I decided to work in sports for a year or 2 and then go back to teaching. After 21 years, I still have not gone back to teaching. I decided to get my MBA as I was allowed to do it for free and it helped me to gain a greater understanding of some of the business side of Sports.

Can you share the key milestones in your career that led you to your current position in the sports industry?

Throughout my career I have always loved helping people, whether it was in the community or on the team or with other staff members. I had a strong interest in joining the team side of things, but I also loved being on the Community Relations side of things. After 12 years of running Dynamo & Dash Charities I decided it was time to try something new when an opportunity presented itself on the team side. Being able to help players and staff and still connect them with the community has been an amazing experience.

What are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced as a woman in the sports business, & how have you overcome them?

I don’t think there have been a ton of challenges because I’m a woman. Working for the Dynamo, we have a lot of women in leadership positions, which has been incredible to learn from. Even on the team side, being a female has provided me a lot of respect, as they know I am entrenched in a predominantly male side of sports and they respect what I do. I did have to work to gain the trust and respect of the players and staff but I had been doing that for the last 12 years while being a part of the organization. Through my time with the Dynam,o I have built a solid reputation that has always helped me in any role I have taken on.

​Balancing a career is demanding. How do you manage a work-life balance? What strategies have worked well for you?

Balancing work and life has been difficult, but I knew that getting into sports it would be this way. I remind myself that I need to take time for myself and while it may not be as much as other people outside of sports get, I make it work for me. I spend time with my boyfriend as much as I can as well as my Dog. I always make sure to take at least one day to myself each week to allow me to decompress. During the pre-season it is a bit harder but I balance it out later in the season.

How important is mentorship for women in the sports industry? Have you had mentors or role models who played a significant role in your career and can give some details?

I think having a great mentor is incredibly important. I’m still thankful to the ladies at Kroenke who helped mold me early in my career and to Amber Cox who was the Chief Marketing Officer at the Dynamo, who offered me the position to head up the community relations and Charitable foundation at the Dynamo back in 2015. She took a chance on me an I’d like to think it paid off. I have also always said that people helped me to get where I am and I need to pay it forward. So in turn, I work hard to help mentor some of the other female staff that I work with. I want them to know they are valued, their opinions matter, and to be strong and caring. You can do this job and still care about people and succeed.

In a male-dominated industry, do you feel women are given equal opportunities? What steps do you think can be taken to promote gender equality in the sports industry?

I think there is more equality now then in the past. Many women now work in sports. When you go to league meetings, you’re no longer the only female in the room; other strong females surround you in every department. I think if you work hard and produce good work, you are taken seriously in the sports world. It is all about making sure you are confident and can do the job you are looking for.

What aspects of your work in the sports industry do you enjoy the most? What parts do you find the most challenging ?

I love game days. Getting to see the product of all the hard work from all parts of an organization is amazing. Everyone lives for game days! I think the most challenging part is learning to balance it all. Some weeks are overwhelming, and others may drag on, but you have to be on your A game for all of them. It’s learning the ebs and flows of the industry and moving along with them.

What advice do you have for young women aspiring to build a successful career in the sports industry?

GO FOR IT! If you want to be in the sports world, make connections and network as much as you can. Internships are the best way into an organization and can help connect you with people from within and other teams. Remember that how you treat people matters; you never know if the person you are interacting with within an organization may be looking to hire you someday. Never take an opportunity for granted and learn as much as you can from any experience. Never give up; it took me 4 years to secure a full-time job in the sports world.

What is your long-term personal goal that you still want to achieve both business wise and personal?

Right now, my goal is to be the best at my position and leave a lasting impact on the organization. I have worked in sports for 21 years and I have not regretted it once. I love what I do, and I wouldn’t change it for anything. Personally, I want to learn to find a better balance between work and life but for now, I think I’m doing just great.

Any fun facts or interesting things you’d like the world to learn about you? Favorite food, hobbies, pet peeves, etc.?

I recently got a dog named Titus who has overtaken my whole world! I never thought I would own a dog but now I don’t know what I would do without him! I am an avid waterskier and hope to someday retire and live in a lake house!