Senior Director of Education & Community Engagement, New England Public Media

Vanessa Pabon-Hernandez

Vanessa Pabón-Hernandez, is Senior Director of Education & Community Engagement at New England Public Media (PBS, NPR & Local Perspective for Western Mass.). Her career began as a small business entrepreneur but she was inspired early on by her mom to follow a path that was more rewarding as a community organizer and youth advocate. This has resulted in over 25 years of experience as a nonprofit leader. She has spearheaded several innovative community projects that include establishing the first community-based digital storytelling center in a predominately Latino community, a literacy corner at a health clinic serving immigrants, and launching Media Lab (formerly Latino Youth Media Institute), a paid internship recruiting the next generation of diverse journalists, storytellers, and media makers as a career pathway that responds to the gap in workforce. She was the executive producer of the station’s award-winning bilingual series Presencia and in response to the lack of available news in Spanish during the pandemic co-founded Colectivo de Medios Latinos. Vanessa is dedicated to designing programs and building strategic partnerships that capture community stories as a historical archive, embrace our culture differences and encourages multigenerational learning by serving underrepresented communities.

In 2009, the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women honored her as an “Unsung Heroine.” In 2011, she was recognized by the Massachusetts House of Representatives for her service and dedication to the Springfield community as an organizer and activist. In 2013, BusinessWest named her to its “40 Under 40” list and the Springfield Puerto Rican Parade Committee named Vanessa as the event's 2016 grand marshal. She’s also featured in the exhibit “Voices of Resilience: The Intersection of Women on the Move” launched in 2020.

In her spare time, you can find Vanessa going on spontaneous trips with her husband and daughter, dancing Salsa, and enjoying time with her grandson.