Vanessa is a passionate higher education professional committed to advancing inclusion for underrepresented students, with a particular focus on BIPOC deaf college students. Her K–12 education was marked by a lack of understanding and support for her intersectional identities, which deeply influenced her academic journey. A turning point came when she arrived at California State University, Northridge (CSUN), where she finally felt a sense of belonging and discovered the importance of empowering BIPOC deaf students. It was there that she recognized a significant gap between student outcomes and institutional support.

To deepen her understanding of how colleges and universities can better serve these students, Vanessa earned a Master’s degree in Higher Education Administration from the University of Denver. Her experiences have fueled her commitment to centering deaf students’ stories and pushing for systemic change within higher education.

Her work is ongoing. Currently, she is pursuing an EdD in Educational Leadership at UC San Diego, where her research focuses on the experiences of BIPOC disabled students. Through this work, she aims to transform the structural barriers that persist and advocate for the transformation that higher education still needs.