As the founder of Shan Strategies, I partner with organizations to help them make the positive impact that they and their stakeholders envision. With over 20 years of experience in the public, not-for-profit, and philanthropy sectors, I bring knowledge and skills in education and workforce development, public-private partnership development, cross-cultural leadership, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, organizational management, and community advocacy.

My background as a first-generation Taiwanese immigrant shaped my passion for global challenges and economic opportunity. I began my career with Teach For America, teaching English Language Learners in East Los Angeles, later assuming national and regional executive leadership roles. I also served as CEO of Expect More Arizona, leading statewide initiatives to create a world-class education system. I have enjoyed serving several public appointments focused on education and workforce, including for three Arizona Governors and the City of Phoenix.

Since founding Shan Strategies in 2017, I've worked with diverse companies, from startups to global corporations. I serve on several non-profit boards, striving for a more equitable and inclusive world, including Teach For America, Aliento Education Fund, Southwest Autism Resources and Research Center, and ASU Morrison Institute for Public Policy. Currently, I'm pursuing an Executive Master's degree at Thunderbird School of Global Management to expand my ability to help my clients succeed through rapid global and technological change.

COMMUNITY RECOGNITION:

- Athena Award Young Professional (Greater Phoenix Chamber of Commerce) 

- A Profile for Change (US Chamber of Commerce)

- Arizona's 5 Most Influential Women Under 35 (Arizona Business Magazine)

- 25 Most Admired CEOs (The Phoenix Business Journal)

-20 Leaders to Know in Education (The Phoenix Business Journal)

-Diversity Champion (The Phoenix Business Journal)

-Top 13 Arizonans to Watch (The AZ Republic) 

Vanessa Valenzuela Erickson is a people operations and talent management leader. Most recently, she served as Chief People Officer at Culdesac - a first-of-its-kind car-free real estate developer. Prior to this, she worked in human resources, business operations, and finance at Opendoor and Salt River Project (SRP). While at SRP, she managed the Rotating Engineers program and supported the reskilling and redeployment of groups of employees through already established and new apprenticeship programs. She started her career teaching elementary school through the Teach For America program. Vanessa holds a Master’s degree in Elementary Education from Arizona State University and a degree in Economics and International Studies from the University of Arizona.

Born and raised in Phoenix, Vanessa commits time and energy to our great city and the communities it’s comprised of through board service and volunteer opportunities. She is the current board chair for Aliento, a non-profit serving undocumented, DACA, and mixed immigration status families. Her previous board service includes Teach For America/ASU Recruitment Board, Arizona PBS Community Advisory Board, and Teach For America Alumni Leadership Board. She spent years mentoring for Phoenix Metro YoungLives and New Pathways for Youth.