After a 30 year career at the state and federal level, serving Texas and individuals with health and human service needs, Tom joined Texas Insight in October of 2012. He began his career as a special education teacher, teaching deaf-blind, severely disabled children. With the passage of federal legislation guaranteeing free appropriate education for all students, Tom joined the Texas Education agency where he assisted local school districts to develop the capability of serving all their children as required by the new federal law.
Having an interest in performance evaluation and budgeting, Tom joined the staff of the Legislative Budget Board where he served for 13 years as the Senior Analyst for Health and Human Services. In that time Tom recommended significant changes to state law and agency operations that would enhance the lives of the people served through Health and Human Service programs in Texas.
Following his tenure at the LBB, he joined the senior staff at the Department of Protective and Regulatory Service—now the Department of Family and Protective Services—as the Deputy Director for Management Services, and then 4 years later joined the staff of the State Auditor where he coordinated audits for the Health and Human Services function as well as served as the legislative liaison for the State Auditor.
In 1996 Tom returned to the LBB as the legislative liaison in Washington DC where he coordinated information and budget efforts related to federal programs and the interests of Texas. Tom then went on to become the Chief of Staff for the Congressional office of the 10th Congressional District in Washington DC and then the Chief Operating Officer for the National Mental Health Association (now Mental Health America).
In 2003, until retiring from state service, Mr. Valentine returned to Texas as the Senior Policy Advisor for Health and Behavioral Health at the Health and Human Services Commission.