Executive Director

Dr. Vanna M. Anderson, is a nationally respected educational leader, disability advocate, and the Southern Angels Comprehensive. With over 15 years of experience in special education, leadership, and family-centered support, Dr. Vanna is widely known for transforming how schools serve students with disabilities—and how families experience hope, partnership, and real progress.

Dr. Vanna began her career as a special education teacher in Nashville, Tennessee, where her excellence in instruction and student outcomes earned her recognition as Teacher of the Year. She quickly became known for producing measurable academic growth among students with diverse learning needs, including leading some of the highest academic gains tied to Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for students receiving special education services.

Her impact led her to roles as a professor, academic coordinator, intervention specialist, and applied behavior analysis (ABA) therapist, ultimately positioning her as a district-level leader in one of Tennessee’s largest school systems. In recognition of her visionary leadership and commitment to equity, Dr. Vanna was honored with the Susan Short Jones Emerging Leader Award, an acknowledgment reserved for leaders demonstrating exceptional promise, innovation, and community impact in education.

As a systems-level leader, Dr. Vanna implemented continuous improvement models that closed achievement gaps, expanded inclusive practices, and strengthened IEP-driven instruction across schools. Her work blends data-informed decision-making with compassion, ensuring that students are supported not only academically, but also socially, emotionally, and behaviorally.

What sets Dr. Vanna apart is her ability to bridge worlds: schools and families, research and practice, policy and lived experience. Through Southern Angels, she now works directly with children, parents, educators, and organizations—bringing services back to the heart of her purpose: working directly with students and restoring joy, confidence, and possibility for families who have felt unheard or underserved.

A sought-after speaker and trainer, Dr. Vanna delivers powerful, actionable presentations on:

Inclusive education & disability rights

IEP advocacy and family empowerment

Social-emotional learning for students with disabilities

Leadership and systems change in special education

Building schools and programs where all children belong

She is the author of The Importance of Teaching Social-Emotional Learning to Exceptional Needs Students, and her work has been featured through professional publications, conferences, and community partnerships.

Dr. Vanna holds a Bachelor of Science in Health Sciences, a Master of Education in Special Education, and a Doctorate in Leadership and Professional Practice. Her leadership is grounded in her core values of integrity, service, and unwavering commitment to children and families.

Dr. Vanna is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Inc. and is actively engaged with the National Coalition of 100 Black Women, Inc., where her work centers on advocacy, leadership development, and uplifting families and communities through education. She also supports community initiatives through organizations such as Best Buddies, the Council for Exceptional Children, and Hands On Nashville.

Whether speaking to educators, parents, faith-based organizations, nonprofits, or community leaders, Dr. Vanna Anderson leaves audiences informed, inspired, and ready to act—because she doesn’t just talk about inclusion, she builds it.