In this episode of Leadership with Heart, I sit down with Laura Chevalier, Chief Growth Officer at Optomi Professional Services, for a conversation that explores the powerful intersection of data, grace, and self-leadership.
Laura shares her remarkable journey from teaching and sports to building a thriving IT consulting startup and leading a division focused on uplifting rural communities and military families. We talk candidly about how faith, humility, and a willingness to fail have shaped her path and opened doors she never imagined.
We also dig into what it means to live and lead with intention, how to give ourselves grace without losing our edge, and why authentic self-leadership is never a finished product but an evolving practice. Laura’s stories about saying yes to big leaps, trusting her instincts, and finding joy in the messiness of growth remind us that strong leadership always starts within.
If you’ve ever wondered how to hold high standards without losing heart, how to balance speed and presence, or how to trust your gut while inviting feedback, this episode is for you.
Listen in and reflect on what it means to lead yourself through every season with courage, curiosity, and grace.
About Laura
Laura Chevalier is the Chief Growth Officer at Optomi Professional Services (OPS), where she drives strategic expansion and fosters client partnerships across the firm’s portfolio, including Provalus. Previously, she served as President of Provalus, OPS’s U.S.-based IT services brand and under her leadership, Provalus grew rapidly by delivering onshore solutions from rural communities, providing career opportunities to underserved populations while serving Fortune 500 clients. (provalus.com)
Chevalier joined OPS in 2014 and has held several senior roles, including Chief Sales Officer and Executive Vice President. Her extensive experience spans strategic sales, operations, and talent development, with a focus on building diverse, high-performing teams. She has worked with a broad range of clients, including Fortune 2000 companies, to address complex IT needs and solutions.
A passionate advocate for veterans and their families, Chevalier was named Veteran Champion of the Year in 2022 by G.I. Jobs. She is married to a MARSOC veteran and has been instrumental in Provalus’ mission to hire and upskill veterans, military spouses, and family members. Her leadership helped Provalus’ achieve an 18% veteran workforce and 65% military family workforce by establishing operations near military bases to support veteran employment.
Throughout her career, Chevalier has helped build, scale, and expand a wide variety of businesses and service offerings. Her high energy, ability to assimilate information, business savvy and relentless drive has helped her develop world class organizations and sales team.
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About Heather R Younger, J.D., CSP
Heather R Younger, J.D., CSP is a highly sought-after speaker, 2x-TEDx speaker, diversity, equity and inclusion strategist, and contributor to leading news outlets. She is also the Founder and CEO of Employee Fanatix, a leading employee engagement and consulting firm. After over 25,000 employee engagement surveys and years of working with organizations to transform employee engagement, here’s what Heather has seen over and over: When you know how to listen, employees will tell you exactly what they need to bring their full selves to work. Book Heather to speak at your event or organization.
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