Valerie moved to Birmingham in 2010 with her husband, Steven, who accepted the director position for the University of Alabama at Birmingham (UAB) Hospital Burn Center. Reluctant to leave San Antonio, but always optimistic—she threw herself into getting to know the city. She fell in love with her historic neighborhood; the incredible variety of visual and performing arts; walking villages; and, of course, the outstanding food! She concluded that The Magic City is one of the nation’s best kept secrets and decided to change that by forming The VAL Group, bringing the expertise of an extensive corporate background to the table for her clients.

At IBM for over thirteen years, first as a systems engineer and then as a marketing representative, Valerie later pursued nonprofit management and development as executive director of Pitt County’s Domestic Violence Center (NC), director of development at the Allentown Art Museum (PA), manager of major gifts at Lehigh Valley Hospital and Health Network (PA), and director of development for the National Trauma Institute (TX).

Steven, both a surgeon and a soldier, has precipitated twelve family relocations, making Valerie a “certified” expert in how to move a family and adjust quickly to enjoy a new community! An active community supporter, Valerie serves on the board of the UAB Women’s Club, Create Birmingham, Maranathan Academy, Red Mountain Theatre, Advisory Boards for the Alys Stephens Center and Pepper Place Market, and is a member of The Women’s Network and Southside Baptist Church. Valerie and Steven have two children. Their son Morgan lives in Birmingham. Their daughter Meghan, a West Point, Columbia and Harvard graduate, is a Dr. of Public Health in Boston and a Major in the Massachusetts National Guard.

Mary has proudly called Birmingham home since 1993. She has lived, worked and played in all parts of the Birmingham area, and has particularly loved watching the revitalization of downtown and surrounding areas for the past 10 years.

Utilizing her education degree from the University of Alabama, Mary taught four-year-old preschoolers for many years at the Early Arts Center in Homewood. She later become the Director of St. Stephen's Preschool in Cahaba Heights.

After the birth of her youngest son, Mary retired to stay at home with her children and had a lot of time to explore the wonders of Birmingham Zoo. The McWane Science Center, numerous parks, libraries and other child friendly options in the area. After a few years she began working as the Outreach Coordinator at Advent Episcopal School. This gave her the opportunity develop considerable knowledge of the program offerings of most of the early childhood development and preschools available in Birmingham.

Mary meet Valerie while conducting tours at Advent, and when she decided to leave that position she hoped that one day she could work with her to show off Birmingham to prospective new residents. That opportunity came in August 2019 when Valerie asked Mary to join her team at the VAL Group. It has proven tobe an excellent partnership to benefit VAL Group clients.!

Mary is currently the Chair of the Department of Camp McDowell. She currently chaired the Search Committee for the Executive Director of Camp McDowell, and served as senior warden for St. Stephen's Episcopal Church. She is very active volunteer in her church and her children's schools. When she is not cheering loudly for her kids in their countless sport activities, she enjoys walking her dog Lacey and reading whenever she gets a chance.

Mary and her husband Michael are proud parents of Eva, Walker, Jack and Watts.