Valerie was introduced to music at an early age by her parents. Her father, who was a percussionist, would often have his drums set up next to her mother's piano. While taking piano and flute lessons, she continued to have fun just playing her father's bebop Gretsch drum set along with the variety of records she found in the hi-fi cabinet. Although it was not typical at that time for girls to play drums, her parents encouraged her to pursue that instrument and she began lessons with her father's teacher, Oliver K. Bernd, who gave her an early love for the orchestral style of musicianship. She continued to play throughout her school years under the direction of Stewart Wolf and Vincent P. Bercher and was a member of the Red Hill Band. On her 16th birthday her parents bought her a blue Vistalite Ludwig drum set; it is the same set she uses for the concert venues, and fits in well with the color of the NCC robes. During college she continued to play in the marching band and jazz and percussion ensembles and enjoyed playing in the orchestra pit for the all-campus musicals. Her percussion instructor at this time was Willis Rapp.

After college and marriage and starting a family, she thought her drumming days were over, but after a hiatus of about ten years she and her husband reluctantly decided to joined the orchestra of their church. It was during this time that she met C. Harry Causey, and he invited her to accompany the National Christian Choir as their percussionist.

Valierie is employed by McKesson Corporation, a pharmaceutical company that specializes in robotics and barcode technology for dispensing medications within hospitals. She has worked in several hospitals in the Baltimore area and is currently with Lifebridge Health.

She and her husband have three college age children, Michael, Aaron and Emily. Valerie has been with the NCC since 1998.

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