25 Women for 2023: Valencia Scott has a drive to serve
Valencia Scott arrived in Tallahassee from Miami in 2000 at the age of 21, ready for a change. “My best friend was up here attending Florida A&M University, and kept talking it up,” she says. “I needed a change so I thought, ‘why not?’”
That youthful decision was a good one for her and for Tallahassee, as she has made a name for herself in public relations, community advocacy, and as one of Tallahassee’s 25 Women You Need to Know.
Valencia is the Deputy Director of Public Relations at the Leon County Property Appraiser’s Office, where she spent the last 20 years innovating services and broadening community awareness. “I started in data entry then transitioned to information & customer service,” she says, “back before we were online and everyone had to come in for everything.”
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But it wasn’t long before her engaging nature and strong communication skills were noticed, and she found herself out in the community, planning outreach initiatives, and strengthening the relationship between the Property Appraiser’s Office and the residents of the community. When Dr. Akin Akinyemi was elected Property Appraiser, he appointed Valencia, making that role official. “I felt lucky to be able to do community outreach in the first place, so to be able to really go full speed ahead with it was such a gift.”
Since making Tallahassee her home, Valencia has become a familiar face in fraternal, service, and professional organizations including Order of Eastern Star, Boys & Girls Club of the Big Bend, and the Florida Public Relations Association, where she has served as Director of Awards and Recognition, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion committee member and Communications Team Publicity Chair. “Being part of such dynamic organizations has provided even more drive to serve,” she says with enthusiasm.
She is a passionate advocate and supporter within the community with a fierce love for educating others. She partners with Elder Care Services, Veterans Services, and the Tallahassee Lenders Consortium. “I remember what it was like to be a first-time homebuyer,” she says, “so I love being a resource to new homeowners and helping them understand property taxes.”
She especially appreciates the community collaboration of Tallahassee. “When you connect with people who share your passion, you learn and achieve so much more,” she says when reflecting on volunteer opportunities that have made a difference for her. “We have so much to learn from each other.”
She especially values her volunteer role with the Citizens Information Line at the Leon County Emergency Operations Center. “Supplying critical and helpful information in an emergency is one of the most important things I can do,” she says.
Valencia encourages us to follow our hearts and do what we love. “Consider a broad interest that you enjoy and then ask, ‘how can I use this to help people?’ God will make room for your gifts, if you just ask how you can use them.”
This article originally appeared on Tallahassee Democrat: 25 Women: Valencia Scott: 'We have so much to learn from each other'
