Valerie Wade was born and raised in the Piney Woods of East Texas. As a child, the “Addy” series of American Girls books fueled her love for history and storytelling. She earned her B.A. in African American Studies and Psychology from Washington University in St. Louis, where she was a John B. Ervin Scholar and a Mellon Mays Undergraduate Research Fellow. She went on to study United States History at the graduate level at Duke University, where she earned her MA. She has received a number of research grants and presented her research at history-centered conferences. She has the distinction of being a Certified Archivist (CA).

Valerie is active in the Houston chapter of the Afro-American History and Genealogy Society. She is also a member of the National Council on Public History, the Association of Houston Archivists, the Texas Oral History Association, and a number of other professional organizations.

Valerie currently resides in Houston, Texas. Aside from her professional interests, Valerie enjoys day-hiking, crafting, and exploring local record shops for classic R&B and funk albums.

Please contact her if you would like to receive a copy of her resume´.