Education

B.S., Texas Woman's University

M.A., Texas State University

Contact Information

512-475-9701

vwestbrook@mail.utexas.edu

Vanessa Westbrook

Senior Program Coordinator

Vanessa Westbrook serves as a senior program coordinator for science in the Partnership for High Achievement and professional development areas at the Charles A. Dana Center.

Prior to joining the Dana Center in 1996, Westbrook taught public school in north Texas. Her main focus was elementary science education. She was also involved in delivering professional development to elementary and middle school educators in formal and informal settings in Texas, aligning science curriculum for school districts, and coordinating districtwide elementary science fairs. Westbrook has more than 20 years of experience in a variety of educational settings.

In her role as the science content specialist, she develops, edits, and reviews elementary science assessment items; creates standards-based lessons for kindergarten to grade 5 science instruction; and collaborates on the development and implementation of the K-8 science activities and professional development protocols used with the Partnership for High Achievement work.

Vanessa Westbrook is currently the National Science Teachers Association District XIII Director for Oklahoma / New Mexico / Texas, and the Texas State Coordinator for the Building a Presence for Science national program. She was the 2004-2005 President of the Science Teachers Association of Texas and the 1998-2000 President of Texas Council of Elementary Science. Westbrook is the co-founder of the Texas Informal Science Education Association and serves as the current Executive Director. She serves on numerous state and national advisory boards that focus on elementary science education, informal science education, teachers' certification in science, and increasing minority representation in science areas and science teaching.