Mari Jo Valentine

Mari Jo Valentine serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Education within Kingston University's School of Education, Midwifery and Social Work. Since joining in 2011, she has championed transformative educational experiences for diverse student cohorts while advancing Kingston University's commitment to community partnerships and innovation in teacher training.

Her academic credentials include:

• BA (Hons) Fine Art
• PGCE Primary (QTS)
• MA in Education
• Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy (SFHEA)
• National Professional Qualification for Leading Teacher Development (NPQLTD)

Dr. Valentine's work integrates mathematics and art education through an Equality, Diversity and Inclusion framework. She actively develops leadership pathways for Black female educators, implements neurodiversity-responsive teaching methods, and redesigns safeguarding protocols. Her initiatives emphasize cultivating student confidence, creative problem-solving, and collaborative skills aligned with employer requirements in educational settings.

As Mentor Lead, she collaborates with school-based mentors to build trainee resilience across BA (Hons) and PGCE programmes. Her external leadership includes founding the Pan London Initial Teacher Education Network and serving as governor at an Outstanding-rated partner school. Professional affiliations encompass UCET, Chartered College of Teaching, NCETM, AccessArt, and NSEAD.