February 4: Vanessa Alderson

Vanessa Alderson, MPS, is an Educational Assistant at Randolph Howell Elementary STEM School. She received her masters from the historical Tennessee State University, a Bachelor of Business Administration from Middle Tennessee State University and celebrating 40 years of being crowned Miss Black Middle Tennessee State University.

Graduate of Vanderbilt Program in Research Administration Development, National Council of University Research Administrators member and a formal member of the Vanderbilt Medical Center Staff Advisory Board. Participated in Vanderbilt Type 1 Diabetes Genetics Study of African Americans and Mexican Central America medical science research project. She worked with the assistant vice chancellor for Federal Relations in Washington DC during President Barack Obama's administration while organizing Senate Alexander Roundtable discussion with researchers and health officials from Vanderbilt and the State of Tennessee concerning efforts to confront the 2014 Ebola epidemic in West Africa. Received the 2020 COVID-19 Essential Workers Badge of Honor Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority SER, and volunteer at the Middle Tennessee Community Health Fair, "Empowering and Educating Minorities to close the Health Gap".

Received the 2016 Humanitarian Award from the E. Trice Scholarship Program, 2021 NAACP Women's History Month Phenomenal Woman Nominated, 2022 Women Of Influence Awards Nashville Business Journal Nominated and an Honorary Member of the Tennessee General Assembly.