Valerie Berton has worked as a communicator for decades, most recently leading a public affairs team at a U.S. government agency. She is co-founder of KindWrite Studio, a writing coaching and professional editing service, and volunteers as a mentor for Girls Write Now. She has edited publications for The Nature Conservancy, the National Center for Smart Growth and the NoMa (Washington, DC) Business Improvement District. Her essay, “Hasty Exit,” was selected for inclusion in Alternative Liberties II (mid-2026), an anthology addressing the implications of politics in 2025 and beyond.