Valerie has been teaching K9 Nose Work® since 2010 at various locations in the Central/South Jersey areas.  

She loves coaching handlers as they learn what their dogs are capable of and as they progress through the levels of competition, many of them earning top placements along the way.  Her students range from Intro level to Summit. Some of her favorite success stories are of dogs, much like her own dog Seamus, who overcame sensitivities through the NACSW method of training.  In addition to being a Certified Nose Work Instructor, Valerie is a Certifying Official for NACSW Trials and Odor Recognition Tests and is a judge for other venues of scent work.  Through her business, K9 InScentives, LLC, she hosts trials and workshops.

Currently Valerie has three German Shorthaired Pointers and has handled them and previous GSPs to titles and numerous placements in ​K9 Nose Work® and other venues.  Of her current partners, Donovan is working on his ELT-3 and Fiona on her ELT-1.  They were preceded by Seamus, who set a record as the first GSP to achieve the NW3 Elite title by earning first place on each of the three required NW3 titles, and Lucy, who earned her first NACSW title Pronounced. 

Valerie takes continuing education very seriously and frequently attends seminars, webinars, conferences and workshops to increase her knowledge and improve her teaching.  In her spare time, she writes and records original songs with her husband.  She resides in Beverly, NJ with her husband, their dogs, and a cockatiel.