Valerie Frost
Valerie Frost is a national consultant and lived-experience leader dedicated to transforming family-serving systems through lived experience, policy expertise, and collaborative strategy. With an M.Ed. and over a decade of experience in early childhood education, Valerie combines deep knowledge of child development with systems-level leadership informed by her journey as a parent impacted by the child welfare system.
Valerie spent more than a decade teaching preschool and kindergarten in several states across the U.S. She founded and led Kentucky’s first statewide Parent Advisory Council, developing a cohort of parent leaders who went on to influence practice and policy across the state.
Today, she partners with agencies, courts, nonprofits, and coalitions nationwide to rethink how family-serving systems engage, and are accountable to parents and youth, with a focus on family well-being and shared authority. In all of her work, Valerie is guided by core values of authenticity, equity, and integrity.
Valerie is the host of a nationally recognized podcast and has been invited to speak at the White House. Her proudest role is being a mama to her three energetic children.
“Valerie Frost is an incredibly talented, brilliant advocate who is unafraid of speaking truth to power. She articulates a vision for child and family well-being more naturally than anyone I’ve ever encountered.”
— Rebecca M. Robuck, Partner, ChildFocus
I Am a Lived Expert
My journey is rooted in navigating complex public systems as a parent. This lived experience is not just part of my story; it’s the foundation of my approach. I believe parents and impacted individuals are the experts of their own lives, yet too often systems overlook that expertise, treating families as problems rather than decision-makers. I challenge that status quo by centering lived experience as legitimate knowledge and leadership. I bring firsthand understanding of how systems operate, and where they fail, and use that insight to help redefine how authority, accountability, and partnership are structured. I don’t simply advocate for families; I work to ensure their experience shapes decisions and governance.
I Speak Both Community and Corporate
I bridge lived experience and professional expertise to help systems move toward equity with clarity and accountability. I speak both languages fluently — understanding how institutions operate and how families experience their impact. This dual perspective allows me to translate across power, surface blind spots, and push for change that is practical, credible, and grounded in respect.
Valerie Frost 