La-Verna Fountain

La-Verna Fountain currently serves as the Vice President for Construction Business Services and Communications at Columbia University in the City of New York. As Vice President, Ms. Fountain helps lead the University’s outreach and communications efforts regarding construction business opportunities and activities. She helps lead the Corporate Alliance Program/Columbia University joint Certificate Mentorship program for Minority, Women and Locally-owned construction-trades businesses.Ms. Fountain served as part of the University’s negotiation team on two of the University’s top construction initiatives - the planned Manhattanville campus and Bakerfield/Boathouse Marsh project at the Campbell Athletics Complex. Prior to assuming her role in Facilities, Ms. Fountain served as the Associate Vice President of Public Affairs where she served as the Chief Operating Officer of Columbia’s Office of Communications and Public Affairs and as the public affairs liaison on the University’s expansion project, working closely with media, government officials and community members.In addition to her work at the University, Ms. Fountain if President and founder of the Defiant Hope Consulting and Training Company. For the past 25 years, she has provided motivational speeches, training and facilitation on topics of conflict resolution, cultural diversity/human awareness, nonviolence as a way of life, working with teenagers, spirituality in the workplace, staff development and organizational development.