Board Trustee
Valerie M. Henderson is a North Carolina native, who currently works as a journalist in New York City. She attended Elizabeth City State University, a historically black university in North Carolina, where she received a B.S. in Aviation Science and a B.A. in Mass Communications. She’s also a 2015 graduate of Columbia University where she received a Master’s in Journalism.
Valerie was initiated into the Delta Theta Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated, in the fall of 2012. She immediately became a leader amongst her peers and served as the chapter’s vice-president and eventually president. She was selected as an AKA Leadership Fellow in 2014 and a year later transferred into Tau Omega Chapter in the heart of Harlem. She’s served as Tau Omega’s member-at-large, corresponding secretary, and currently the first vice-president.
Valerie is a first-generation college student, who is deeply committed to public service. Outside of her work, she is an advocate and volunteer for issues such as racial justice, gender equality, LGBTQ equality, and education reform. She was selected as a 2016 HBCU Top 30 Under 30 distinguished scholar and White House HBCU All-Star alumna for Elizabeth City State University. In 2017, Valerie became a New Leaders Council Fellow for the New York City chapter. She currently serves as New Leaders Council’s Pride Caucus National Co-Lead. In 2019, Valerie was selected for the NAACP's NextGen advocacy and leadership program. In her free time, Valerie enjoys traveling, YouTubing with her husband, writing, and spending time with her family and friends.