Persistent Variable Values not persisting in CI/CD environment

I created a Persistent empty string variable at the project suite level. I created a function that gets called in the OnStartTestCase event handler that puts a string value into the variable and then echoes that value into the results log with a Log.Message statement. When i used the Network Suite to do a remote run on one of my VM's the string value appeared in the log as desired. But, after committing my changes and running my automation in an azure pipeline only a blank value appears in the log. 

I have no default value for this variable. it needs to be obtained and set by my local workstation each time at the start of the project and then be displayed in the log no matter where it runs. if a project suite persistent variable won't do that, what will?