Our Team

Valerie Herrero is an educator, scholar-practitioner, maker, and an avid adventurer. Her work with Fred Rogers Institute began in 2025 and she is a member of the Simple Interactions cohort for the 2026-2027 Educator’s Neighborhood. She has more than a decade of experience in education and community programming and has worked at Pittsburgh Public Schools, The Ellis School, Penn Hills Charter, and Carnegie Museum of Art. She holds a BFA from Penn West California and an MEd in Early Childhood Education from Carlow University. 

In 2024, she served as a Fellow for Trying Together’s Early Childhood Education Advocacy program and in 2025 was selected as one of Carlow University’s Artists-in-Residence, integrating her interests in community programming, art education, advocacy, and scholar-practitioner research. She is currently a Preschool Lead Educator at The Shady Lane School where she supports the healthy development of young learners by fostering meaningful relationships and co-creating a playful and purposeful learning environment. 

Valerie also enjoys camping, exploring small towns, and the company of her cat, Squid.