Celebrated photographer and entrepreneur

Michelle Valberg is an award-winning Canadian photographer, renowned for her soulful portraiture and stunning landscapes. Her work has appeared in numerous magazines including US, In Style, Ottawa Life, Reader's Digest and Chatelaine, and has been the subject of her two self-published books-Look Beyond… "LOOK BEYOND... The Faces & Stories of People with HIV/AIDS" and "DARE TO DREAM... A Celebration of Canadian Women", which became a national bestseller. Valberg is currently at work on a third publication-The Simple Things in Life-which will showcase her landscape work. Each of her book projects has raised money for Ottawa-based charities.

Valberg possesses a magical combination of artistic creativity, entrepreneurial spirit and community commitment. She owns and operates the only combined photography gallery and studio in Ottawa-Valberg Imaging-and maintains a publishing and special events enterprise called Dare to Dream Productions. Over the years, she has contributed her talents to countless fundraising initiatives for a range of charities including St. Joe's Women's Shelter, CHEO, The Ottawa Regional Cancer Centre, Canadian Guide Dogs for the Blind, The Ottawa Heart Institute, The Humane Society, Saint-Vincent Hospital and the Elisabeth Bruyere Health Centre. She is a board member of the CHEO Foundation and the SCO Health Services Foundation and co-chairs Capital Talk, an Otttawa-based committee that organizes local charity fundraisers.

Valberg received a Women of Distinction award (Arts Category) from the YMCA/YWCA in 2000. In 2003, the Women's Business Network named her Ottawa's Businesswoman of the Year for her entrepreneurial spirit and community involvement. In 2004, Valberg was honoured with the Ottawa Business Journal's 40 Under 40 Award and in 2005, she received the St. Joe's Women's Shelter Quality of Life Award and she was named Algonquin College's Alumnus of the Year.

Valberg is a member of the Professional Photographers of Canada and Ontario, accredited in seven stylistic categories. She shares her experience as a guest speaker at local and national photography organization events across Canada. She began her visual arts education at the University of Ottawa in the Fine Arts Department, and is a graduate of Algonquin College's Photography program.

"Michelle Valberg's innovative way of presenting her subjects and her thoughtful choices makes her one of Canada's most inventive and original artists."
Heather Reisman, CEO and founder of Indigo

"Michelle has an uncanny ability to reach into the very heart of her subjects. Her generous spirit encompasses everything that she does and she puts her subjects completely at ease."
Rogers, broadcaster

"We would all do well to stop for a moment and see how this Ottawa photographer has utilized her considerable organizational and photographic skills to help make this world a better place."
Michael McLuhan, MPA, M. Photog., APPO, CPP w