Valentina Videva Dufresne, President, North America at Zehnder Group International AG, Joins the Exceptional Women Alliance (EWA)

LOS ANGELES, Feb. 19, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- A global industrial leader driving sustainable innovation and double-digit growth across North America, Valentina Videva Dufresne has joined the Exceptional Women Alliance (EWA), the invitation-only peer mentorship organization for accomplished women executives.

As President, North America and a member of the Group Executive Committee at Zehnder Group International AG., Valentina leads a multi-brand industrial HVAC portfolio spanning the United States and Canada. She is responsible for aligning cross-border teams, accelerating performance, further expanding the strategically important North American market and embedding operational excellence while advancing healthy indoor air and sustainable solutions in the building environment.

With more than 20 years of experience across engineering, product development, P&L leadership, and enterprise transformation, Valentina has built a career at the intersection of technical rigor and strategic growth. Prior to joining Zehnder Group, she served as Vice President and General Manager of Sensata Technologies' $700M North America automotive and aftermarket business, where she delivered sustained double-digit growth. As Chief of Staff to Sensata's CEO, she implemented enterprise-wide management systems, ESG reporting frameworks, and supply chain resiliency initiatives, strengthening governance and long-term value creation.

"Valentina represents the kind of principled, globally minded leadership that strengthens the EWA community," said Larraine Segil, Founder and CEO of Exceptional Women Alliance. "Her ability to translate strategy into operational performance—while advancing sustainability and innovation, reflects the caliber of executive leadership we are proud to bring together."

Valentina holds an Executive MBA from MIT Sloan School of Management, with certificates in Sustainability and Business Analytics, and a Bachelor of Science in Mechanical Engineering from Norwich University. Her influence extends beyond corporate leadership: she serves as co-chair on the Board Pathway Council and was a long-standing Trustee and Committee Chair at Bristol Community College. She also mentors emerging leaders and is a returning speaker on career decisions and leadership at Cornell University.

"I am deeply honored to join the Exceptional Women Alliance, a remarkable community of women whose brilliance is matched only by their generosity. EWA is a place where the mind and the heart sit at the same table, and where the intentional structure created by Larraine and lived by the EWAs challenges us to rise into our fullest leadership potential." said Valentina Videva Dufresne.

Through EWA, Valentina joins a global community of high-level women leaders committed to peer mentorship, collaboration, and advancing sustainable success across industries.

About Exceptional Women Alliance (EWA)

The Exceptional Women Alliance (EWA) is an invitation-only peer mentorship organization where high-level Exceptional Women from across multiple industries are hand-selected and invested in, to grow, learn, share, and succeed. In addition to the achievement of significant success, the criteria for acceptance include character traits that are defining of the EWA Culture – Kindness, the Spirit of Generosity, Transparency, Gratitude, and Willingness to Share their knowledge. The Foundation is a powerhouse of peer-to-peer mentoring that provides guidance, deep connection, and leadership, propelling each woman to sustainable success—one woman at a time. The life-long program enables each participant to be connected as alumnae in the ever-expanding EWA global community, as their fellow women leaders continue to move into positions of significance.

Learn more at www.exceptionalwomenalliance.com

SOURCE Exceptional Women Alliance