Valery Milagros Ortiz , is a Puerto Rican actress, dancer, singer, songwriter & author who is known for her role as Madison Duarte on the television series South of Nowhere, also for her role as Raquel Saldaña on VH1's Hit the Floor....
Ortiz was born in San Juan, Puerto Rico and raised in Orlando, Florida. Passionate to become a "ballerina" and she explored her dancing talents after receiving a scholarship to The Southern Ballet Theater Performing Art Centre in Orlando. She continued dancing but eased out of it in middle school as her interest in theatre and acting grew.
While attending the University of Central Florida for a Bachelor in Fine Arts, Ortiz was given an opportunity to work on television show, Splat! as a host. After the first season, a two week road trip "vacation" to Los Angeles turned into permanent relocation to Los Angeles. Ortiz quickly started working on a local television show called LATV Live as a VJ.