Dr. Vanessa Girard is a Creole, born in New Orleans, Louisiana. She and her siblings struggled with identity throughout adolescence, being teased by their African American brother-in-law that they didn’t “have a flag.” Her work with a Native American tribe in Arizona sparked a passion to learn about mono-cultural perspectives, with hopes that the quest would lead her to self-discovery...she found that her multiethnic heritage has provided her with an extraordinary ability to empathize and relate across races, and in that realization, she feels more accepted by others: “I am not Black, or White, or Hispanic, or Native American; I am all of them and that’s okay!” Dr. Girard studied leadership and management at the University of Phoenix. She is an author, educator, consultant and teacher mentor specializing in diversity with 15 years in education as a teacher, dean, and assistant director of education. She is the owner and CEO of GUMBO Corp, a consulting firm originating in Arizo