Valene is an Intergovernmental Audit Coordinator for FEMA. A Florida native, Valene moved to Delaware in 1995 after completing her undergraduate education and athletic career. She received two BA degrees (Social Work and Criminal Justice) from Florida Atlantic University, in Boca Raton, Florida. Valene holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Delaware State University and a Master’s Degree in Law and Social Policy from Bryn Mawr College. Upon graduating from graduate school, Valene dedicated much of her time volunteering in homeless shelters, her local church, and youth programs in the community. In 2004, Valene founded Teens In Perspective, a leadership development program for at-risk teen girls. Over the past five years, Teens In Perspective has served over 350 at-risk girls through its biweekly programming and annual empowerment conference. She continues to volunteer her time as Executive Director and reports to the TIP Board. As a result of her dedication and passion to make a difference, Valene was awarded the 2006 Bank of America Local Hero Award. In 2007, she was one of ten recipients to travel to New York to receive the prestigious national Lewis Hine/National Child Labor Award. Valene has made outstanding contributions to the Delaware community as a leader, professional, volunteer, serving as a role model to other women and many young girls. Valene was a nominee for the YWCA 2011 Trailblazer Award, and she serves on the Board of Directors for the American Red Cross.

Over the years, Valene was able to quench and cultivated her leadership skills while participating in various professional/ leadership training, and as captain of her collegiate athletic basketball team, earning All-American District V, setting double digit records in the school history for men and women; including the first athlete to have his/her jersey retired. In 2008, Valene was inducted into the Florida Atlantic University Athletic Hall of Fame.

Valene has lived in both New Castle and Kent County over a 14-year period and spends her free time reading, watching movies, traveling, working out, and spending time with her family.