Member since February 2026
Dr. Vanesa M. Scott-Thompson (Dr. VMST) is a former educator with 20 years of experience in the field and currently serves as a Vice President in the nonprofit sector, where she has led for the past six years. With more than 14 years in leadership, she is deeply passionate about building the capacity of others by empowering them to live with intentionality and purpose.
An accomplished author and freelance writer, her work has been featured on five Christian blogs, a regional magazine, and a travel blog. In 2022, she released her inaugural book, Foundation Basics for New Members: Teacher & Student Manual. Dr. VMST is also a speaker, editor, certified life coach, and consultant committed to equipping individuals and organizations to thrive.
To learn more, visit drvmst.com.
Christian topics: I have been a Christian for almost 40 years. I am well versed in the Bible and I do biblical literacy videos on various social media outlets. I specialize in how to study the Bible, how to pray and how to engage youth in the church.
Mom: I am the mother of a college graduate and a middle school student.
Wife/Marriage: I have been married to my husband for 23 years and counting.
Leadership: I have been a leader in K-12, higher education and non-profit for 15 years. I have a wide range of experiences to choose from.
Special Education parent advocacy (IEP & 504): I have been a teacher and a principal in K-12. Both of my children are differently abled/neurodiverse. I can discuss the IEP and/or 504 process so that your child can receive the support that they need.
Becoming an author/ writer: I am the author of a book. I am also a Christian devotional and freelance writer. I can discuss strategies on how to develop a writing piece from inception to publication.
Let me start with this: there’s a difference between experiencing something for the first time and being the first to ever do something. Experiencing something new can be exciting but being the first is different. Being the first means there’s no blueprint or roadmap that someone who looks like you, sounds like you, or carries your story belongs there.
For women of color, that “first” often means breaking through something much thicker than glass. We’ve all heard of the glass ceiling. Glass is transparent because you can see what’s above you. You can imagine yourself there. Concrete is different. Concrete is thick, it’s structural and it was poured intentionally. It muffles your voice. It blocks light. It convinces you that what’s above you may not even exist for you.
That’s what many women of color face, not just barriers, but invisibility. Not just resistance, but a confidence gap that whispers, “Are you sure you belong here?” I know this because I have lived this.
I was eight years old when I legally changed my name. Before I even had language for identity, I understood ownership. I understood that sometimes you have to define yourself before the world does it for you. I’ve studied abroad. I’ve earned a doctorate. I’ve raised neurodivergent children without family precedent or a roadmap. I’ve walked into executive spaces as the only woman of color at the table more times than I can count; many rooms not built with me in mind, systems not designed for my voice, expectations I never agreed to carry.
And here’s what I’ve learned: when you’re the first, you rarely feel confident. We’ve been taught that confidence comes before action, but both research and lived experience tell us something different. Confidence is not the prerequisite; it’s the byproduct. I did not feel fully confident when I stepped into many of those “first” spaces. I felt prepared. I felt called. I felt determined. But confident? Not always.
Concrete doesn’t crack with hesitation. It cracks with persistence. When you break through, you don’t rise alone. You create a ripple. The first time I broke a ceiling, I thought it was just about me but then I watched what happened. I saw other women begin to imagine themselves there. My children began to see new possibilities. Colleagues began to try things they once thought were unreachable.
That’s the ripple effect. One breakthrough changes the imagination of your network and sphere of influence. So if you are the first, let’s go. And if you are not the first, help build the path wider. Every cracked concrete ceiling makes it easier for another woman to rise.
Maybe the goal was never just to get through it. Maybe the goal was to shatter it enough so the next woman doesn’t have to break it alone. Being the first isn’t about ego; it’s about access and opportunity. It’s not about the spotlight; it’s about legacy.
If you have ever felt like the “only” in a room, or you’re preparing to become the “first” in your family, your field, or your industry, know this: you may feel uncertain. You may feel unseen. You may feel the weight of concrete above you but concrete can break. I am proof and so are you.
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Let me start with this: there’s a difference between experiencing something for the first time and being the first to ever do something. Experiencing something new can be exciting but being the first is different. Being the first means there’s no blueprint or roadmap that someone who looks like you, sounds like you, or carries your story belongs there.
For women of color, that “first” often means breaking through something much thicker than glass. We’ve all heard of the glass ceiling. Glass is transparent because you can see what’s above you. You can imagine yourself there. Concrete is different. Concrete is thick, it’s structural and it was poured intentionally. It muffles your voice. It blocks light. It convinces you that what’s above you may not even exist for you.
That’s what many women of color face, not just barriers, but invisibility. Not just resistance, but a confidence gap that whispers, “Are you sure you belong here?” I know this because I have lived this.
I was eight years old when I legally changed my name. Before I even had language for identity, I understood ownership. I understood that sometimes you have to define yourself before the world does it for you. I’ve studied abroad. I’ve earned a doctorate. I’ve raised neurodivergent children without family precedent or a roadmap. I’ve walked into executive spaces as the only woman of color at the table more times than I can count; many rooms not built with me in mind, systems not designed for my voice, expectations I never agreed to carry.
And here’s what I’ve learned: when you’re the first, you rarely feel confident. We’ve been taught that confidence comes before action, but both research and lived experience tell us something different. Confidence is not the prerequisite; it’s the byproduct. I did not feel fully confident when I stepped into many of those “first” spaces. I felt prepared. I felt called. I felt determined. But confident? Not always.
Concrete doesn’t crack with hesitation. It cracks with persistence. When you break through, you don’t rise alone. You create a ripple. The first time I broke a ceiling, I thought it was just about me but then I watched what happened. I saw other women begin to imagine themselves there. My children began to see new possibilities. Colleagues began to try things they once thought were unreachable.
That’s the ripple effect. One breakthrough changes the imagination of your network and sphere of influence. So if you are the first, let’s go. And if you are not the first, help build the path wider. Every cracked concrete ceiling makes it easier for another woman to rise.
Maybe the goal was never just to get through it. Maybe the goal was to shatter it enough so the next woman doesn’t have to break it alone. Being the first isn’t about ego; it’s about access and opportunity. It’s not about the spotlight; it’s about legacy.
If you have ever felt like the “only” in a room, or you’re preparing to become the “first” in your family, your field, or your industry, know this: you may feel uncertain. You may feel unseen. You may feel the weight of concrete above you but concrete can break. I am proof and so are you.
see best story
