Professor in Acting and Directing and Head of Performance, Valerie oversees the Hansberry Project, a professional African American theatre lab. She has directed projects for professional companies, including Actors Theatre of Louisville, Alabama Shakespeare Festival, The Mark Taper Forum, Seattle Childrens Theatre, Northwest Asian American Theatre, and Capitol Repertory Theatre. Valerie has participated in new play development for the New York Theatre Workshop, The Children's Theatre Company of Minneapolis, The Mark Taper Forum, Seattle Repertory Theatre, and at the ACT/Hedgebrook and Seattle Rep/Hedgebrook Women Playwrights Festivals, working with playwrights including Kia Corthron, Caridad Svich, Gina Gionfriddo, Laurie Carols, and Valetta Anderson.