Dr. Valerie D. Jackson holds a doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology and has over 25 years of experience working with children in care (Child Protective Services). Dr. Jackson’s expertise is based on her extensive work at residential treatment centers, inpatient and outpatient mental health facilities, child placement agencies, and her work as a psychologist and case manager. She is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of three organizations: Monarch Family Services, The Adolescent Center and Mental Health Services, and Initiatives for Healthy Communities, whose collective mission is to improve the child welfare system through empirically informed best practices and innovative research. Dr. Jackson has published her work in a few reputable publications. Dr. Jackson also serves as a board member for Open Gate Homeless Ministries, Texas Center for Child and Family Studies, and Julia C. Hester House Inc., and is involved as a committee member for the Committee on Advancing Residential Practices (CARP), Coalition of Child Serving Sectors, and Relative as Parents Coalition. She is a member of University of St. Thomas Institutional Review Board (research involving human subjects), Texas Psychological Association, American Psychological Association, Texas Alliance of Child and Family Services, and Region 6 CPS Service Provider Group which includes several counties in the greater Houston region. Dr. Jackson is passionate about providing children and families effective programming to improve their lives and overall well-being.