Vanessa Aguilar, who was raised in California and currently resides in Rhode Island, obtained her BA from the University of California, Santa Cruz, in 2012 and her M.Es. in Special Education from the University of San Diego in 2016. Vanessa currently serves as the Student Support Coordinator at a high school in Providence, Rhode Island. Diagnosed with dyslexia in the third grade, she faced many challenges in her educational journey because of her diagnosis.

In addition to her professional commitments, Vanessa enjoys swimming, running, traveling, and spending quality time with friends and family. Her involvement with The Neurodiversity Alliance began in 2010, when she served as a mentor, followed by her role as a chapter coordinator in 2011. Vanessa was also a member of the inaugural cohort of Think Different Diplomats. In 2019, she was honored with the Hero of the Year Award. Later, she served as an advisor for a chapter in 2021. Vanessa is passionate about sharing her narrative of discovering strength within her vulnerabilities. She expresses her gratitude to The Neurodiversity Alliance for fostering a community of diverse thinkers that inspired her to pursue a career in education.