Who We Are
Choose Legacy is a family firm. Two doctorates, two careers in public education, and one conviction we've tested from every seat in the system: hope is built by design, not by accident.
Dr. Valarie V. Henry
Founder & Principal Consultant
"I've sat in every seat at the table."
Teacher, assistant principal, and principal of a school the state had written off — until her team took it from a C to an A in three years. Then a decade building the systems behind leaders: the leadership pipeline for a district of 218,000 students, mentoring for 32 new principals and assistant principals, and the special education compliance work that taught her how to make hard things calm.
Author of Unstuck and Coaching and Mentoring Simplified. Ed.D., Instructional Leadership. Leads and delivers every Choose Legacy engagement.
Ed.D. | PA & FL certified | 2 books | 23 years
Dr. Benjamin Henry
Co-Founder
"Hope is restored by design."
A sitting superintendent leading an urban Pennsylvania district through one of public education's hardest assignments: the years after state receivership. Under his leadership, the district rebuilt literacy instruction from the foundations up, launched a grow-your-own leadership pipeline — and at one pilot elementary school, fourth-grade math mastery rose from 8% to 64%.
His doctoral research on hopelessness among middle school boys grounds the firm's deepest belief: leadership is about restoring hope, in adults and children alike. His memoir, From the East Side of the Bridge, is forthcoming.
While serving as superintendent, Ben contributes to Choose Legacy as an author, speaker, and thought partner. Consulting engagements are led by Dr. Valarie Henry.
Ed.D. | Superintendent | Researcher | 25 years
Between us, we've been the teacher, the assistant principal, the principal, the district office, and the superintendency.
There is no seat at your table we haven't sat in.
Legacy isn't what you leave behind.
It's what you choose today.