Valerie Todd received Bachelor’s degrees in Psychology and Sociology from Miami University of Ohio. However, it was her time spent volunteering at a nearby counseling center that ultimately directed her life’s work. Valerie was involved with the 24/7 crisis intervention hotline as well as the sexual assault response team. That was where she first learned the importance of meeting people where they are and providing trauma informed support.  The time she spent there continues to influence both her personal and professional lives.

After college, Valerie advanced her career in two fields simultaneously, pursuing both her passion for supporting survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault (DV/SA), and supporting people with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities (I/DD). She worked at various non-profits throughout Ohio, Maryland, and North Carolina. At the DV/SA agencies Valerie provided crisis counseling and supportive services to people who had experienced child abuse, sexual assault/abuse, domestic violence, intimate partner violence, stalking, and human trafficking. As a part of each agency’s medical accompaniment team she met with survivors of sexual assault at the hospital to offer advocacy and support during their forensic exams. She was a part of the Lethality Assessment Program pilot in Maryland, which has now been implemented across the nation, where she worked closely with law enforcement and hospital personnel who were first responders to victims of intimate partner violence.

While working with people with Intellectual/Developmental Disabilities, Valerie supported people to increase their independence while living and working in the homes and communities of their choice. She was responsible for hiring direct support professionals as well as programmatic staff and developed a deep understanding of the nuances of interviewing, onboarding, and retaining staff. Valerie has worked at multiple levels of non-profits over the course of her career, from Direct Support Staff, to Support Coordinator, Supervisor, Program Director, and Assistant Regional Director. Along the way she was involved in streamlining human resource procedures, developing agency policies and procedures, and updating agency wide training to be more trauma-informed. Valerie was also able to blend her professional interests by creating and facilitating support groups for people with I/DD about identifying trauma, setting boundaries, and developing healthy relationships. 

In addition to her professional work, Valerie engages in individual therapy and has done group therapy. Both experiences allowed her to see firsthand the transformative and healing process possible when connecting vulnerably with others. Valerie strives to live her life with the same level of compassion and acceptance that she learned through therapy.

Valerie lives in North Carolina with her husband and their adorable lab-mix, Frederick. Frederick has complex chronic medical needs that cause fluctuations in his health, but he remains happy and loving. He teaches Valerie every day about the beauty of living in the moment, accepting joy, and loving unconditionally through life’s many ups and downs.