Born in the housing projects of Pueblo, Colorado, the youngest of nine children, Jeff Valdez first tried his hand at stand-up comedy before spending eleven years running his own comedy club in Colorado Springs. He produced a show called Almost Live” that was the launch pad for comics Sinbad and Roseanne Barr.

One of the first to recognize that Latinos wanted to see themselves in English-language TV programs beyond the traditional Spanish-speaking stations, Valdez created and produced the hit Los Angeles TV series "Comedy Compadres" hosted by Carlos Mencia. Comedy Compadres was the first TV appearance for Mencia, Greg Geraldo, Bobby Lee, and Pablo Francisco, to name a few. He also wrote, produced and directed a myriad of other projects, leading the Los Angeles Times to dub him "the Ed Sullivan of Latino talent". In 1996 Valdez joined forces with venture capitalist Bruce Barshop and started the San Antonio-based Latino Laugh Festival, a star-studded multi-day event that was soon picked up by Showtime.

In 1997, following an executive post at Tri-Star Television where he created and co-executive produced four network pilots, Valdez co-founded Sí TV Productions, which would soon become the leading producer of Latino-themed, English-language programming. Its output initially included the talk show "Cafe Olé with Giselle Fernandez" , he stand-up showcase "Funny is Funny!" also hosted by Carlos Mencia and "The Brothers Garcia", a Nickelodeon hit series of which Valdez co-created, directed and executive produced forty-eight episodes. The show was also carried in 26 countries.

In 2007 Valdez was named as Co-Chairman of Maya Entertainment, along with industry veteran Moctesuma Esparza (Selena, Milagro Bean Field War, Gods and Generals). Maya Entertainment Is a film releasing company focusing on the 12-24 Latino youth market. They are releasing a series of Spanish and English language films in theatres as well as home video. Also in 2007 Valdez joined forces with legendary filmmaker David Zucker of Zucker Brothers (Airplane, A Walk In The Clouds, Naked Gun, Scary Movie) and started Sandbox Entertainment. Sandbox is in the process of producing a series of G and PG Latino themed family movies.

Among his many honors and awards, CNN named Jeff Valdez Top 50 People Who Matter, Valdez was also named by Advertising Age, as one of the Top 50 Marketers in America, as well as receiving three Imagen Awards, two Nosotros Golden Eagles, The Racial Harmony Award by the Center For Ethnic Understanding, Top 50 Minorities In Cable by Multichannel News, Top to Players in the U.S. Hispanic media Market by Ad Age, NALIP awarded Valdez with the Outstanding Achievement Award for his 2004 founding of Sí TV. As well, NAMIC selected Valdez to receive the Quasar Award at the 11th Annual NAMIC Vision Awards for his pioneering efforts in creating Sí TV.

Notably, Valdez was appointed by President Clinton to the Advisory Committee on the Arts of the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. He is also on the boards of The Museum of the Moving Image, NALIP and The LA School For The Performing Arts.