Valerie graduated from the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor in 2000.  She started her career as a bedside nurse in the NICU at Parkland Hospital in Dallas, TX. After two years serving as a bedside nurse, Valerie began her training to be on the resuscitation team. She has been on the resus team for 21 years. During her time as a resuscitation nurse, she has been involved in the Golden Hour Project and multiple other research studies.