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Mercy College Trustee Dr. Valerie Mason Cunningham, H.D. ‘20 was honored by Westchester County at the 2023 Trailblazers Awards Ceremony for her professional achievements and service to the community. The ceremony, which was held virtually on February 23, 2023 as part of the County’s celebration of Black History Month, featured remarks from Westchester County Executive George Latimer and Deputy County Executive Ken Jenkins.

Latimer said, “The Trailblazers Awards Ceremony was created more than 20 years ago as a way to recognize outstanding African American leaders in our county for their professional accomplishments and their community efforts toward making Westchester a better place for all of us. Tonight, we honor those using their talents and efforts to blaze the trail for the generations that will follow them.”

“It is important now more than ever that we recognize the prominent role African Americans have played in shaping our county and country’s history,” said Jenkins.

Mason Cunningham received the honor of the Madam C.J. Walker Award for Economic Development. Co-Founder and Co-CEO of Mason & Rice, she is an accomplished strategic thinker, change champion and business value creator who has positively impacted the business services and technology industries throughout her illustrious career.

“I had a 38-year career at Xerox and went all over the globe in the many responsibilities that I had, and I came up where there wasn’t a lot of women – let alone Black women in executive level positions,” said Mason Cunningham.

She enjoyed an extraordinarily successful career at Xerox Corporation, where she ascended to the position of Vice President of North America Operations Channel Marketing Group. Her focus on delivering business excellence included securing the largest cash sale of $68M and contracting the largest IT services contract of $150M in the health care industry.

When a client introduced her to the non-profit Volunteer New York, it broadened her eyes to the needs of Westchester County, and she realized how much she wanted to help and give back. She served as Chair of the Board of Directors and Executive Committee Chair for Volunteer New York through the pandemic leaving the organization in sound business standings with growth in business, resources and revenue. Prior to that, she served as the board secretary, governance committee member, strategic planning committee member, a graduate of the Leadership Westchester (LW) class of 2018, and a member of the LW Alumni Association.

Mason Cunningham currently serves as a member of the Mercy College Board of Trustees, Development Committee and Strategic Executive Search Committee. She is also a member of the “Friends of URI” (Urban Resource Institute) focused on domestic violence.

“To be called one of Westchester County’s trailblazers is amazing. I just work. I just do. I just am here to help somebody, as my mother said, and if I can help somebody, then my living is not in vain, but all along the way I am helping people,” she said. “For someone to recognize that I am doing this even though I am not here to do it for the recognition is humbling and amazing for me. I am so grateful.”

You can watch Mason Cunningham’s acceptance video here:

Watch the 2023 Trailblazer Awards Ceremony here: