Val completed both her Master of Science degree in nutrition and her dietetic internship at the University of Minnesota and is Board Certified as a Specialist in Sports Dietetics (CSSD), a designation held by less than 1% of registered dietitians. She also earned the credential of The Menopause Society Certified Practitioner (MSCP) by demonstrating her expertise in the menopause field. She is a Fellow of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (FAND) and received the Excellence in Women’s Health Award from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Women’s Health Dietetic Practice Group.