Valerie grew up in Albuquerque, New Mexico and attended college at Arizona State University where she earned a degree in biological sciences and a minor in Spanish. She earned her Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine from the Chicago College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University. She then attended pediatric residency at Nemours Children's Hospital in the Delaware Valley and was honored to stay to help support the residency program as a Chief Resident. She completed a 2-year Pediatric Hospital Medicine fellowship at Nemours Children's Hospital where she focused on medical education, earned her Master of Medical Education from the University of Cincinnati. During her time in fellowship, she focused on creating a novel curriculum that takes place during intern orientation to teach our incoming first year residents the basics of several common diagnoses and technology associated with children with medical complexity. She currently works as an academic hospitalist at Nemours Children's Hospital.