Vanessa Jefferson is a 2022-2023 Teach Plus Arkansas Policy Fellow and a 3rd-grade teacher leader at Friendship Aspire Academy in Pine Bluff. Vanessa has taught grades 3-6 in reading and math. Vanessa was named the 2020-2021 3rd-grade Teacher of the Year and 2021-2022 4th-grade Teacher of the Year. Vanessa began her teaching career in Arkansas with the Arkansas Teacher Corps. She is a member of the National Society of Leadership and Success. She earned her BS in Health Sciences from the University of Central Arkansas, an MS in Health Education from Walden University, and an MEd in Educational Leadership from Grand Canyon.