Valerie Hink never considered becoming a lawyer until she was in her 30s.

A native New Yorker, she began her higher education journey at Barnard College for
two years then graduated from Colby College in Maine with a degree in biology. Later,
she earned a master’s degree in zoology from the University of Minnesota.

Following her passion for biological science, she was hired at Arizona State University
Center of Environmental Studies, but became frustrated with how governmental
agencies used her data and research. That’s when she decided to pursue law to have a
bigger say. She earned a Juris Doctor from the University of California at Los Angeles
Law School under the assumption she would pursue environmental law.

Along the way, however, she ended up working in immigration law. Her father was
a displaced person following World War II and came to the U.S. to seek asylum, so
it was a natural path for Valerie to work with asylum seekers and establish legal
residency for immigrants.

For Valerie, working with clients to empower them and help them overcome obstacles
is the most rewarding part of being a lawyer.

Not only is Valerie a volunteer, she worked at SALA for 24 years. She specialized
in representing immigrant survivors of domestic violence and other serious crimes,
helping them obtain employment authorization and legal immigration status, and to
rebuild their lives after overcoming serious trauma.

Valerie also works at the Immigration Law Clinic at the University of Arizona James E.
Rogers College of Law and is on the board of the Asylum Program of Arizona, which
provides financial aid to those in need.

We are truly grateful to Valerie for her volunteerism, not only for her vast knowledge,
but also for her vast kindness. Our program would not be complete without Valerie’s
dedication.