SPEAKING & KEYNOTES

Valerie Frost delivers keynotes that challenge how authority is defined, shift how institutions engage with communities, and provide clear frameworks for ethical systems change.

From TEDx stages to national conferences, Valerie brings clarity, conviction, and practical frameworks to audiences ready to align their work with justice.
Her work has been featured through a TEDxLakeAlfred 2026 talk, in national media, and in collaborations with agencies, courts, and organizations across the country.

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FEATURED IN

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Featured in TEDx, The Imprint, The Courier Journal, The Lexington Herald-Leader, Motherly, and more.

FEATURED TALK

Authority Is Lived, Not Given — TEDxLakeAlfred 2026

In this talk, Valerie Frost explores why lived experience must be recognized as a form of authority in systems that shape families’ lives and communities. 

This talk has resonated with audiences across sectors and is the foundation for Valerie’s broader framework on lived authority and systems change.

 
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RECENT TALKS AND PRESENTATIONS

2025 Florida Coalition for Children Conference: Resilient Communities, Meaningful Change

National Association for Public Defense 2025 Family Defense Conference: Defending Families, Protecting Futures

Speaking Topics

  • Authority is Lived, Not Given

  • Ethical Engagement in Systems Change

  • Lived Experience as Leadership

  • Narrative Power in Child Welfare and Public Policy

  • Building Systems That Share Authority With Families

Audience

Valerie speaks with:

  • Government and public agency leaders

  • Nonprofit and advocacy organizations

  • Universities and research institutions

  • Coalitions working toward community-led systems change

IN THE MEDIA

Valerie is known for delivering talks that are both intellectually rigorous and deeply grounded in lived experience, leaving audiences with both insight and clear, practical direction. 

Valerie’s work is particularly impactful for organizations seeking to move beyond performative engagement toward real accountability and shared authority.

WHAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING
Trusted by leaders across systems, academia, and national organizations. 

  • “My recent community-based co-design projects as an externally funded public health researcher have been incalculably improved by the collaboration and facilitation skills Valerie has contributed to our system navigation learning community and resource hub development efforts. Her expertise is so valuable that we have appointed her as community affiliate faculty with the University of Kentucky College of Public Health, reflecting her capacity to not only flawlessly execute but also conceptualize and evaluate community engagement initiatives. Valerie brings singular creativity, joy, process orientation, leadership, and vision to any team that is fortunate enough to collaborate with her as a writer, facilitator, educator, and advocate.”

    — Margaret McGladrey, PhD, Assistant Professor, Department of Health Management and Policy, College of Public Health, University of Kentucky

  • “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

  • “Valerie Frost brings intellect, heart, and courage to the complex world of child welfare. Her clear communication and unwavering advocacy inspire real change grounded in partnership and collaboration.”

    — Lisa Merkel-Holguin, Associate Professor, Pediatrics, Kempe Center, University of Colorado Anschutz Medical Campus

  • “Valerie Frost has moved beyond someone here to courageously tell her story. She is a credible expert focused on a long-neglected area of this industry who brings critical knowledge to learners with a significant level of gravitas.”

    — Kevin Campbell, CEO/ Co-founder, Pale Blue. Model Author. Family Finding®️ Family Seeing®️

  • “I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Valerie and working together over the past few years. She has contracted with Imagination Factory on the Community In-Site podcast, including as the show’s host. Valerie is smart, creative, multi-talented, and one of the easiest people to work with. She always makes an impact wherever she shows up.”

    — Matt Anderson, Co-Founder & CEO, Imagination Factory

BOOK VALERIE FOR YOUR NEXT EVENT

Bring a nationally recognized voice on lived experience leadership, ethical engagement, and systems change to your next event. 

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