After thirty years of working internationally and nationally in the field of Institutional Advancement, Valerie decided to indulge her creative side and create luxurious garments. Her coats are a combination of her love of images and small stories, or vignettes, of her experiences and encounters. The written stories are integrated into the design, with embroidered images supporting the message. With Threading a Story as her byline she wishes to convey the connectivity of our global community.