My name is Vanessa Pacheco and I'm a proud product of public schools. As the oldest of my siblings, I'm a first-generation four-year college graduate. For my family, this was an exciting accomplishment, but I know I couldn't have achieved it without a good, quality public education. Like so many RISD students, I understand the challenges of needing to earn scholarships in order to pay for courses while working and attending college. It was with the help of my community that I was able to get to where I am today.
As a working mom, I graduated with an MBA in Global Leadership as a distinguished scholar with honors from the University of Texas at Dallas. While at UT Dallas I was also inducted into the Phi Kappa Phi honor society and prior to that, I attended Dallas Baptist University where I earned a bachelor's in business studies. I am qualified and ready to use my experience in budget management, data analytics, and due diligence to turn ideas into solid plans.
In my professional life, I currently operate four after school learning centers that provide extra academic help for those students that need more individualized attention. I am running to be your RISD Trustee because we need leadership that will treat our students as future leaders rather than as merely a number or widget.
My husband and I have loved our kids attending Richardson ISD from elementary school through graduation. Our daughter graduated from Berkner, and our son currently attends as a Junior. The district has offered them passionate educators and access to opportunities I didn’t have. Over the years, I have been proud to support our district as a PTA member, a volunteer, and as a member of the Ways and Means Committee.