She has degrees from the universities of Ottawa (BSocSc), Toronto (LLB), and Columbia (LLM and JSD). Her research and writings focus on gender issues within international criminal justice. Before joining the faculty in 2005, Valerie served in the Legal Affairs Bureau of Canada’s then Department of Foreign Affairs and International Trade. In this role, she provided legal advice on international criminal accountability for genocide, crimes against humanity, and war crimes. She was a member of the Canadian delegation to the International Criminal Court (ICC) negotiations, as well as the subsequent ICC Assembly of States Parties and the 2010 Review Conference of the Rome Statute of the ICC.