Mx. Valdine (they/them) is a citizen of the Manitoba Metis Federation Thompson local, with family ties to Treaty Two in Crane River and Winnipegosis. Their Metis family names are Ducharme, Spence, Inkster, Howse, and Sanderson, and they are descendants of the HBC half-breeds who fled the Red River Settlement to Fort Victoria, Alberta.

Valdine works as an Instructional Specialist at University College of the North on Treaty Five and they completed their Masters degree with an autoethnography about northern Metis beadwork disability stories. They have collaborated on several publications including a shadow report to the UN regarding the experiences of Indigenous people with disabilities in Canada, the Ongomiizwin Indigenous Health Framework, as well as a book by Coach House Press regarding Accessible Futures.

As a Metis educator, they strive to ensure every learner has access to inclusive education that both validates Indigenous ways of knowing and fosters a sense of belonging.