Ms. Serena Valentine is the Executive Director of CORE Initiative,
a nonprofit organization in Houston, TX that is focused on health & wellness education, being an advocate for the community and improving health literacy in the community and abroad. The goal for CORE Initiative is to share insight about health issues that affect communities, locally, nationally , and globally through health education classes and support groups.
She obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Health Care Administration & a Master of Business Administration degree in Health Care Management from Columbia Southern University. Ms. Valentine is an active Cities Changing Diabetes-Houston Core Team Member and the Project Lead for the Houston Diabetes Peer Support Program under Cities Changing Diabetes. She has earned a certificate as a Diabetes Paraprofessional under the ADCES (Association of Diabetes Care and Education Specialists) Career Path Certificate Program and is the DSMES (Diabetes Self-Management Education & Support) Master Trainer for the Faith & Diabetes Initiative, also under Cities Changing Diabetes.
Ms. Valentine is an active member of the A.S.P.E.C.T. Community of Prevent Blindness an acts as an advocate for the blind and visually impaired to promise eye health. She is also a licensed Evangelist and believes that an individual’s faith can greatly impact their health outcomes when it is addressed with careful consideration in encouraging well informed decision making towards a healthier lifestyle.