Board Member Spotlight: Vanessa French
Vanessa French is a Communications and Content Executive with two decades of experience spanning corporate, government, nonprofit, and association sectors. She specializes in building strategic frameworks that deliver results and creating teams and systems that set organizations up for long-term success. Vanessa has led rebrands, launched advocacy campaigns, and crafted strategies that connect and inspire. Curiosity, empathy, and connecting the dots are her hidden superpowers — the throughline in every campaign, client, and team she has touched.
Tell me about your background and what drew you to your current position.
I’ve always been fascinated by how ideas move — from spark, to story, to strategy. After leading comms at agencies, heading content at major organizations, and running my own consultancy, I’ve carved out a niche where I can blend leadership with creativity. I help organizations communicate with purpose, build trust, and scale with heart. That same spirit brought me to WWPR. After recovering from stage 1 cancer, I wanted to reconnect with my community and channel my energy into something meaningful. Joining the Board — and now stepping into the Treasurer role — felt like the perfect next chapter.
What is the most exciting or rewarding project you’ve done recently or in your overall career?
The work that stays with me isn’t tied to a single campaign or brand — it’s tied to people. I reflect most on the teams I’ve built, the talent I’ve mentored, and the moments when collaboration just clicked. I may have delivered the logos, strategy decks, and press hits, but it’s the behind-the-scenes breakthroughs — the confidence gained, the skills sharpened, the culture built — that I’m proudest of.
What do you love about being a WWPR Board Member?
WWPR is a catalyst. It’s full of wise, generous, driven women who show up for each other and for the industry. Being on the Board means contributing to something bigger — shaping how we support the next generation of women communicators, building a culture of mentorship, and having a seat at a table where smart strategy is matched with genuine heart.
Is there any book you would recommend?
For fun, I love books about revolutionary women — my top three are Personal History by Katharine Graham, The Good Girls Revolt by Lynn Povich, and Anna by Amy Odell. For business, I think Start with Why by Simon Sinek should be required reading for every communications professional. Pro tip: I often find the audiobooks easier to fit in with a busy schedule.
What do you do outside of work?
Outside of work, I love to travel — with a Michelin star map in one hand and an art museum pass in the other — finding great art, memorable meals, and history’s hidden stories. Palatine Hill in Rome remains one of my favorite historic sites, and next on my list is Hever Castle in England, with a trip planned in the coming months for my Tudor history fix. If it feeds the brain or the heart, I’m in.
