A native of Canby, Oregon, Valeda returned to the Pacific Northwest after living in San Francisco for twelve years. At the tender age of eleven, Valeda was selected as one of two American students to be invited to attend the Canadian National Ballet School, in Toronto. Valeda also studied with the San Francisco Ballet before signing on as a member of the Pacific Northwest Ballet, based in Seattle. Valeda was soon promoted to Soloist with the Pacific Northwest Ballet.

Since retiring from the professional world of dance, Valeda has remained extremely active in the areas of health and fitness. While working for a health company in San Francisco, Valeda continued to study with top fitness instructors in the disciplines of cardio, yoga, and Pilates, including Elizabeth Larkham, Director of Pilates at Western Athletic Clubs. Valeda took only a brief respite to give birth to her daughter, Vanessa, but she was soon back in the studio.

Since moving back to the area, Valeda has taught cardio, yoga, and Pilates throughout Vancouver. What sets Valeda apart as a fitness instructor is her uncanny ability to explain the precise feeling of each move that her students should be looking for, and her intuitive understanding of body kinetics, which she developed from a lifetime of dance and fitness. Beyond these teaching skills, Valeda also imbues her students with a positive attitude, and she is able to tailor the movements for students with unique physical limits and challenges.