Her Story
About Vanessa
Vanessa Lacayo serves as a Resource Advisor in the business and administration division at the Bureau of Land Management headquarters. In this role, she supports the budget group and works nationally on the 250 initiative to elevate events across offices. She has been in government communications and policy since 2007, beginning in city government with the Colorado legislature before transitioning to federal service at the Bureau of Land Management. Lacayo started her career as a newspaper reporter and Chips Quinn scholar, driven by a commitment to public service and delivering information to communities. She holds a degree from Metropolitan State College of Denver, a degree in public policy from the University of Colorado at Denver, and a certificate in communications from Cornell. Lacayo emphasizes the value of on-the-job experience and mentors others to overcome self-doubt regardless of their educational background.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Vanessa
01What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I've done a lot of mentorship programs over the years. My advice to them always is continue to not let self-doubt get in the way of either where it is that you went to college, where it is where you grew up. I kind of look at myself of living proof of I have stood next to somebody who's done something or went to those top schools and I feel like I've been able to do just as well as they have but had I let that self-doubt get in my head that can easily be that monkey on your back that holds you in a place that's not gonna let you succeed.
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