Vanessa Smith

Vanesssa is a cultural worker, researcher, and emerging legal practitioner whose work sits at the intersection of Indigenous sovereignty, BIPOC community-based work, racial justice, and critical heritage. Her practice centers community-led approaches to culture, data, and governance, with a focus on how legal, cultural, and institutional systems can be reshaped to respect Indigenous knowledge systems and the lived experiences of BIPOC communities.

Vanesssa is currently a JD/MBA candidate and holds an MA in Museum Studies with a concentration in critical heritage. Across academic, nonprofit, and cultural institutions, she has led research, curation, and project management initiatives that bridge law, culture, and equity. Her experience spans Indigenous data governance, exhibition development, nonprofit governance, and arts-based justice work, in collaboration with universities, international research hubs, museums, and community organizations.