Executive Director
Dr. valerie Cordero
Education: Ph.D. (ethnomusicology)
Contact: valerie@wosmith.org
Valerie Cordero, Ph.D., is a singer, ethnomusicologist, and nonprofit leader. Valerie received her bachelor’s degree in music, with a concentration in vocal performance, from Spelman College. Valerie was introduced to the field of ethnomusicology—the study of music and culture—while at Spelman.
Having been awarded the Eugene V. Cota-Robles Fellowship in ethnomusicology, Valerie attended UCLA where she obtained her master’s and Ph.D. degrees. Her area of specialty was the religious music of the African diaspora. Valerie first visited Cuba in 2004. Between 2004 and 2008, she spent over a year on the island studying Afro-Cuban influences in evangelical church music in western Cuba. Dartmouth College awarded her the Thurgood Marshall Dissertation Fellowship, which provided institutional support to help her finish writing her dissertation in 2009.
Valerie left higher education to pursue a career in the nonprofit sphere in 2010. She spent 15 years at Families for Depression Awareness (FFDA), where she ultimately served as Co-Executive Director. Valerie spearheaded fundraising and marketing initiatives at FFDA, while also working on a national level to promote accessible and culturally-sensitive mental health care. A well-known advocate, she was featured in such publications as Reader’s Digest, Better Homes & Gardens and New York Magazine’s The Cut.
Even as she worked in a different arena, music never left Valerie’s life. She moved to Nashville in 2012 and immediately connected to the music community. Valerie performed with the Latin music band, Yosvany Y Su Son Tropical, for several years. She also served on the board of directors of the Global Education Center from 2013-2019. It was a full circle moment when W.O. Smith Music School’s board of directors hired Valerie as executive director of the school in February 2025.
Valerie has taught music in higher education settings, presented at conferences both nationally and internationally, and published articles. In her personal time, she enjoys traveling with her family, reading novels and nonfiction books, and salsa dancing.
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