Vanessa brings over 35 years of experience working with local nonprofits, specializing in stakeholder engagement, business partnerships, grant research and writing, community collaboration, disability access, and program development. Currently, she is serving her third term as an elected member of the school board, where she focuses on addressing the needs of rural schools and ensuring equitable practices. In addition, Vanessa is the Vice-Chair of the Lane Education Foundation, where she concentrates on fundraising for augmentative communication methods and enhancing programming access for rural schools. She holds a Master's degree in Public Policy and Administration with a focus on Nonprofit Management.