Bethany Blake is COO and Co-Founder of biotech startup, Valor Scientific, where she leads operations and commercialization. She specializes in data-driven project management and organizational development. Bethany brings nearly two decades of diverse professional experience spanning finance, residential services, research operations, and biotechnology, in which she learned hands-on how to build organizations from the ground up. With a Bachelor’s Degree in Statistics and Data Science from Brigham Young University, Bethany excels at bringing structure to fast-paced environments and cultivating cohesive teams and processes. She is passionate about empowering early-stage companies to translate bold ideas into sustainable, impactful ventures.

What do you love most about living and working in Huntsville?

What I love most about Huntsville is the sense that building something here is meaningful to this area. We have an amazing community that celebrates innovation, and people are excited to help turn bold small businesses into real companies and opportunities that benefit everyone here.

What advice would you give your 22-year-old self?

“Don’t wait until you feel ready, and never apologize for voicing your thoughts when you have something valuable to say.” I learned through many hours in tough, unglamorous jobs that growth happens through responsibility. The biggest opportunities in my career have come from stepping into challenges before I had all the answers and being bold because I saw how my unique strengths and perspectives could bring value to projects.

What motivates you on hard days?

Building a company requires patience, persistence, and sheer determination that all of the effort is creating something meaningful. But there’s always a promise that when you push through and pull all of the pieces together, that that effort has real impact for the people relying on you to succeed.

How do you like to give back to the community, and why is it important to you?

The funding landscape for research has changed drastically over the past year, but it only highlighted that there were already underserved communities with rare diseases that were being overlooked. My cofounders and I are dedicated to advocating and challenging how we approach making research and treatment available for rare disease family foundations – it’s as important to our mission at Valor Scientific as the products we create.

Who has been the biggest influence on your career, and what valuable lesson did they teach you?

My mother is a science teacher in Madison County, who fearlessly teaches 7th and 8th graders. She made sure the doors to education in STEM and business always felt open to me as a woman, and for all of the people who have supported me since, it’s that foundation that’s empowered me to pursue this career.