From Global Innovation Leader to Classroom Mentor

With more than 25 years of experience spanning aerospace, retail, consulting, the electric sector and software, instructor Pepe Valiente brings a truly global perspective to the classroom. He’s lived and worked in Spain, Brazil, Mexico and the United States, and founded three companies along the way. Today, you’ll find Pepe leading product creation and innovation initiatives within the IBM Software organization.

His career reflects not only technical depth and strategic leadership, but also a deep curiosity about how ideas move from concept to impact across cultures and industries.

He joined our esteemed roster of instructors in 2023, and has been translating his global experience to our project management learners ever since. In addition to teaching agile and project management courses, Pepe also supports students in our UC Excelerator scholarship’s professional development workshops. Guiding students on LinkedIn strategy, personal branding and how to navigate professional transitions with intention are just a few essential skills Pepe helps our students explore.

I had the opportunity to chat with Pepe to find out what makes this consummate professional thrive.

I often draw from real situations that I’ve lived—both the successes and the mistakes—because they make concepts tangible for students. I aim to help them step beyond their own lenses and understand how work really happens.

You have a global mindset. How have your experiences shaped you as a professional?

Each place taught me something unique: how to navigate ambiguity, adapt to different expectations, communicate across languages and understand that “the right way” to work depends heavily on context. Over time, these experiences have made me more flexible, more empathetic and better at bringing diverse teams together toward a shared goal.

This international perspective also influences how I teach. I often draw from real situations that I’ve lived—both the successes and the mistakes—because they make concepts tangible for students. I aim to help them step beyond their own lenses and understand how work really happens. I emphasize communication, curiosity and collaboration as essential skills for a global economy. Ultimately, I want to prepare professionals who are not only strong technically, but also globally aware and ready to thrive in today’s multicultural environments.

Adult learners bring a wealth of stories, professional experiences and perspectives that create a rich and authentic learning environment.

What drew you to joining our wonderful group of instructors?

The opportunity to give back. I’ve always felt fortunate to have a curious mindset and to have learned from exceptional people throughout my career. Teaching became a natural way to return some of that to the community.

I’m also motivated by the sense of purpose that comes with helping others grow. While I teach concepts and real-world experience, students keep me sharp, challenge my assumptions and bring fresh perspectives that make me better as a professional and as a person.

Adult learners bring a wealth of stories, professional experiences and perspectives that create a rich and authentic learning environment. No session is ever the same, and that sense of intention makes the classroom a truly dynamic place.

And, of course, being part of UC Berkeley Extension is something I genuinely value. It’s an honor to contribute to a community connected to one of the best universities in the world. I enjoy the culture, the mission and the energy of the students—Go Bears!

My goal is to prepare them with adaptable frameworks and practical tools they can use immediately in fast-changing work environments.

Tell me about the topics you discuss in your Agile and project management courses.

I focus on these disciplines as practical toolkits, ways to bring structure, clarity and adaptability to real projects. I emphasize frameworks like Agile, design thinking, Scrum and traditional project management not as rigid rules but as flexible approaches students can draw from, depending on the situation.

To make concepts tangible, I connect them to real examples from my own experience: what worked well, what didn’t and what I wish I had known earlier in my career.

Because projects could derail from a plan, I bring real-world scenarios into the classroom: difficult conversations, tough colleagues, shifting scopes, tight timelines so that students can practice navigating the types of challenges they will face. I also design activities where they apply concepts to realistic situations with as much context as possible.

Ultimately, my goal is to prepare them with adaptable frameworks and practical tools they can use immediately in fast-changing work environments, while learning from both the theory and the lived experience behind it.

You have described having project management skills as wearing a Batman utility belt! Walk me through that analogy.

The first time I heard the “utility belt” idea was in the communication tactics End Boring book by Ivan Wanis Ruiz. As a lifelong Batman fan, the concept resonated with me.

Imagine this: Batman in the middle of the night, surrounded by 10 villains, completely outnumbered. He reaches into his yellow utility belt, grabs a smoke grenade, blinds the enemies, and uses those few seconds to reposition and take control of the situation. He doesn’t win because he’s stronger; he wins because he has the right tool at the right moment.

In real life, project management works the same way. The “utility belt” is the collection of frameworks, practices and techniques you carry with you—your preparation, your experience and your problem-solving mindset. When a project hits a roadblock, you’re faced with an upset stakeholder or the timeline collapses, you reach into your toolkit and pull out what you need: a risk register, a communication plan, a retrospective, a prioritization matrix, whatever helps you regain clarity and move forward.

You have a flexible set of tools to “save the day” when challenges arise.

What excites me most about this scholarship is how authentic and meaningful it is. The students truly care about their growth, often while facing challenges in pursuing their education. 

UC Excelerator scholarship students access professional development opportunities through the Career Foundations course and other workshops. You’re also imparting your knowledge to our UC Excelerator scholarship students.

I first got involved with the UC Excelerator scholarship through an invitation from Alex Naeve from the Business department at UC Berkeley Extension. I met Jan Carmelo Bautista during a career conversation with UC Excelerator students, and we immediately connected.

From that moment, the collaboration grew organically. He began inviting me to join sessions where I share career advice, help students strengthen their LinkedIn profiles and talk openly about navigating professional transitions. 

What excites me most about this scholarship is how authentic and meaningful it is. The students truly care about their growth, often while facing challenges in pursuing their education. Their resilience and determination are inspiring.

Jan also does an exceptional job leading the scholarship opportunity, creating a supportive space, curating topics that matter, and connecting students with people and resources that open real doors.

Being part of that journey, even in a small way, is something I enjoy and value.

For any student, I’m open to one-on-one conversations, and sometimes in another language when it helps students express themselves more comfortably or even if they just want to practice. For me, these individual sessions are where the real depth happens. We can focus on a specific situation, challenge or decision the student is facing and explore it through experience, context and personal perspective.

My motivation is simple: Connection creates impact.

We help students stand out in a competitive job market, open doors to conversations and opportunities.

Walk me through the topics you discuss in the LinkedIn and Job Search Strategies workshop.

I always start with purpose and intention. Before touching any platform, I remind students that digital tools and social media are an extension of who they are. If you’re not clear on what you want to communicate, the platform will communicate for you and not always in the way you want. So we begin by defining their goals and the strategy behind how they want to show up online.

From there, we walk through the key sections of a strong LinkedIn profile. I highlight best practices, common mistakes, and specific things to avoid such as using a poor-quality photo or worse, not having one at all. I also introduce several frameworks to help participants articulate their personal brand, define their value proposition and use LinkedIn intentionally rather than reactively.

We help students stand out in a competitive job market, open doors to conversations and opportunities, and give them a structured approach to navigating their next career step.

What are your expectations for your students? 

Learn something, ask questions, stay curious and bring your authentic self to the classroom. Curiosity is what drives growth.

Enjoy the experience: When learning is fun and interactive, it becomes transformative.

Companies look for people who can add clear value, and having a strong, well‑defined skill set helps you stand out in a competitive market.

What advice would you give to your student on how to best succeed in our current workforce?

Skills matter, but attitude, openness and authenticity matter just as much. People want to work with people so being someone who listens, collaborates, communicates well and treats others with respect will take you far.

At the same time, it’s important to become technically excellent at something. Companies look for people who can add clear value, and having a strong, well‑defined skill set helps you stand out in a competitive market.

Outside of work, you also enjoy competing with dragon boats on the bay. 

I love the competitiveness, the dedication it requires and the camaraderie. The boat simply won’t move without momentum, synchrony and a clear sense of direction. In many ways, it mirrors the teamwork I value in my professional life.

For me, being on the water is also a way to disconnect from routine and work challenges. It keeps me active, grounded and mentally healthy. And this year is especially exciting as my team and I are competing in Taiwan, which will be an incredible opportunity to represent the Bay Area and the country. I can’t wait to be there!

What is the one item in your office that is most representative of your personality?

A velociraptor alebrije I brought back from my last trip to Oaxaca (Mexico).

It’s a colorful, handcrafted piece that combines culture and dinosaurs. As a proud dino geek, it reminds me of the importance of creativity, tradition and staying connected to my roots. It’s fun, meaningful and a little unexpected, which feels like the perfect reflection of me.