About

Vanessa Wassenar, CEO of Creating Resilient Schools, aims to create resilient schools and non-profits that are responsive to today’s competitive marketplace. She brings more than thirty-five years of educational executive and administrative experience and trusteeship in colleges, universities, independent schools, and various non-profit enterprises. Her extensive expertise includes financial analysis, modeling and planning, administrative triage, strategic and campus master planning, re/accreditation and self-study, and governance.

Soon after graduating from Macalester College in St. Paul, MN, Vanessa worked at the University of California-San Diego for nearly 20 years in various capacities. As Director of Research Administration for two divisions at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, she managed contracts and logistics for coastal research oceanographers worldwide. As founding Director of the Office of Sports Facilities and Programs, she was responsible for about $90MM of facilities construction and the “out of classroom” programming for 14,000 students in five colleges.

Educational institutions she has served as a consultant include Brooklyn Friends School, Oliver Scholars, Bentley School, The Archer School for Girls, St. Johnsbury Academy, Ethical Culture Fieldston School, Penn State University – Abington, Shattuck-St. Mary’s School, and many others around the U.S.

From 2001 through 2003, Vanessa was also the Director of Resource Management and Strategic Planning at Emma Willard School. Prior to that role, she was Chief of Staff to the President of Bennington College.