Vanessa Vargas

Vanessa Vargas is an Analyst at Watershed Advisors, where she supports efforts to create more coherent funding systems. Grounded in the belief that education systems should expand opportunity rather than reinforce barriers, she is dedicated to ensuring historically underserved students have the resources and support needed to thrive.

Vanessa brings experience in education policy and legislative advocacy at both the state and federal levels. Prior to joining Watershed, she worked in organizations such as the U.S. House of Representatives, The Education Trust, Education Reform Now, and the Virginia House of Delegates. In these roles, she conducted policy research, analyzed education data, and supported the development of equity-focused legislation.

Most recently, Vanessa served as a K–12 education policy fellow at Education Reform Now, where she assisted in developing the Spotlight Schools series, an initiative nationally recognized by the PIE Network in 2024 for its actionable tools and research. Through this work, she helped equip policymakers and advocates with evidence-based insights to advance policies that support student success, particularly in communities facing concentrated poverty.

Vanessa earned her B.A. in Political Science with a concentration in Public Policy & Administration from Virginia Commonwealth University. She currently resides in Virginia, where she enjoys spending time with her two dogs, Oreo and Zena.