Greetings! I'm Valerie
A Few Things About Me....
- I was born in the Caribbean, grew up in New York, and currently live in Los Angeles, CA.
- I was a high-achiever through and through: straight A student, summa cum laude Dean's List graduate from an Ivy League (University of Pennsylvania), and I played multiple sports, multiple instruments, and won my fair share of awards. The more I looked good on paper, the better I thought my life would be. I was wrong.
- While I worked in corporate for many years, I learned to develop professional boundaries, especially with bosses and supervisors. I made it my mission to find ways to not feel like I was dying inside in an environment that is often soul-sucking.
- I'm an artist and educator. Two of my first loves were acting and TV hosting. But people came to know me for dance. After my time in corporate, I created a career as a dance teaching artist and arts educator within K-12 schools, colleges, and dance/fitness studios. My dance background includes House, Salsa, Hip Hop, West African, Afro-Cuban, Afro-Brazilian, Samba, and Jazz. I also used to teach fitness classes and have appeared in a couple of fitness videos. There was also that one time I shot a pilot TV show as a dancer for a dance competition series.....
- I wrote a book about confidence, self-trust, and how your body is the portal to living a satisfying and dynamic life. You can find out more about my book here.
- I support DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) initiatives that facilitate deep internal work to dismantle systemic and institutional injustices. After 2020, I had roles as a DEI Lead Teacher + Race and Equity Strategic Planning Brain Trust Member in education. My team and I facilitated organization-wide professional development sessions and co-created a multi-year roadmap to center racial equity and justice in leadership and work initiatives. I went on to create a master class on Teachable about understanding and dismantling white supremacy culture in the workplace and in your personal life.
- Spirituality, not religion, plays a fundamental role in my life.
- I have experience with mental health struggles and addiction.
- I became a life coach because, not only do I enjoy supporting and guiding others to live powerful and satisfying lives, it is a sacred calling.
My Joy, Art, and Creativity in Action 😀
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I've also been featured in the following. . .
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