Valerie Fleming is an Arizona native who was born in Phoenix. She graduated from high school in the west valley, before attending Arizona State University, where she received a bachelor's degree in English. She began teaching in 2013. In 2015, she received her master's degree in Cross-Categorical Special Education from Grand Canyon University. A resident of Apache Junction since 2017, she applied to the local school district after reading about the mass staff turnover following the conversion to a five day school week in 2018. After working for the district for four years, Valerie has resigned from teaching for the district, with the hope of moving into a position to be of full service and an agent of positive change.