Valerie has more than a decade of experience building culturally rooted food systems, designing K–12 curricula on traditional foods, and leading tribal food sovereignty projects across North America. Her career began as faculty at Northwest Indian College and as a Cooperative Extension Agent for the Traditional Foods and Plants Program. In 2009 she helped launch the Muckleshoot Food Sovereignty Project, a grassroots effort to increase access to traditional foods by identifying local food resources and developing culturally appropriate curricula.

She has co-authored multiple books and curriculum resources, including Feeding Seven Generations: A Salish Cookbook and the Tend/Gather & Grow curriculum, and has been invited to keynote at national Indigenous food conferences. Her writing and media appearances (YES! Magazine, Food Network Magazine, Woman’s Day) highlight practical strategies for restoring Indigenous food traditions and improving community health through native foods.