Valerie provides academic support to schools to aid improvement efforts. She has strategic and operational responsibility for oversight of Educational Program Reviews, Quality School Reviews and School Support Visits for CMU partner schools. Valerie also facilitates professional learning opportunities in the area of instructional strategies. Valerie has more than 25 years of experience supporting the charter public school movement. Prior to joining the Center, she served as a curriculum and instruction specialist as well as a coaching and learning consultant for a national charter school management organization. Valerie also was a teacher at two charter public schools. She earned a Bachelor of Arts degree with an elementary education certification, and a Master of Education degree from Grand Valley State University.