A true New Yorker, Vals brings a unique perspective to all her real estate endeavors. Her sense of history, creative flair and strong sense of style were nurtured early on through practical hands-on experience and her love of the arts. She grew up in Charles Ives' Upper East Side townhouse and raised her children in a classic Carnegie Hill prewar penthouse while working as an art dealer and pursuing her graduate studies in art history. The first woman director of education at Young Presidents' Organization, she was also founding director of Sotheby's Institute, NA, where she created graduate-level programs on American, European and Asian art, as well as architecture and the decorative arts. During her 20 years in real estate, Vals has renovated two downtown lofts; she's currently in the process of restoring her historic 1831 home in Ulster County. Vals is a trustee of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation and a founding member of the GVSHP Brokers Partnership.