Vanessa, the first African American Miss New Jersey USA, competed in the nationally televised Miss USA pageant and donated her time to over twenty different charities and foundations during her reign. She was the official American Red Cross Penn-Jersey Region spokesperson where she promoted blood donation, a cause near and dear to her heart.
A native of Marlton, NJ, and a graduate of Rutgers University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English, Vanessa started to pursue a career in broadcasting. Currently, she is working on her show “The Wish List” as co-executive producer and creator.
Vanessa has been dancing for over 30 years and was a member of the Jazz Unlimited Dance Ensemble for eight years. She has done guest choreography for Philadanco and the Philadelphia Sixers and New Jersey Nets dance teams. Vanessa’s two children, Noah and Brooklyn, a mini ensemble member, both enjoy dancing at Jazz Unlimited also.