Marquis Who’s Who honors Vanessa C. Jackson for her leadership in education and career coaching. As chief executive officer of Teachers in Transition, Jackson supports educators who are navigating burnout, career uncertainty, and the complex process of moving into roles beyond the classroom. Drawing on decades of experience as an educator, trainer, coach, and workforce professional, she helps teachers recognize the value of their skills, clarify their next steps, and pursue sustainable careers with confidence.
Education and Early Career
Jackson earned a Bachelor of Music from the University of Texas at San Antonio and, in 2015, a Master of Education in educational leadership from Concordia University Portland. Ten years later, she completed an Executive Master of Business Administration through Quantic School of Business and Technology.
Jackson began her teaching career in 1995 in her hometown of Alvin, Texas. Over the course of her career, she taught in multiple districts and communities, including Killeen Independent School District, Northside Independent School District, Fairbanks North Star Borough School District, and Anchorage School District. As the wife of a soldier, she followed her family through multiple relocations, gaining a broad perspective on school systems, teaching conditions, and the lived experiences of educators across different regions.
Recognizing the Challenges Facing Educators
During her final years in the classroom, Jackson began to recognize the widening gap between the work teachers were called to do and the systems available to support them. After decades in education, she had seen the profession from multiple angles, across multiple districts and states. She loved teaching and remained deeply committed to students, but she also saw how often educators were expected to compensate for systemic underfunding, staffing shortages, and unrealistic expectations with their own time, money, and health.
By 2021, Jackson knew it was time to leave the classroom. Her decision was not rooted in a loss of love for education, but in a clearer understanding of how unsustainable the profession had become for many dedicated teachers. She recognized that while she could not singlehandedly repair the education system, she could help educators reclaim their options, whether they chose to remain in the classroom, shift into a different role within education, or pursue a new career entirely.
Leadership at Teachers in Transition
After leaving the classroom, Jackson spent two years in a corporate role as a service delivery coordinator and training facilitator at ManpowerGroup. In that position, she gained valuable experience in workforce development, hiring processes, training systems, and career mobility. She also saw firsthand how many skills developed in the classroom translated directly into business, operations, training, leadership, and organizational work.
That experience became foundational to her work with educators. Many teachers underestimate the value of their own professional skills because those skills have been developed in a classroom context. Jackson helps bridge that translation gap by showing educators how to describe their experience in language that hiring managers outside education can understand and value.
In 2023, Jackson purchased Teachers in Transition from its founder and began building on its long-standing mission of supporting educators through career change. Through Teachers in Transition, she provides individualized coaching for teachers considering life beyond the classroom, helping them identify transferable skills, clarify career direction, prepare resumes and LinkedIn profiles, and navigate the job search process with greater confidence.
She also hosts the Teachers in Transition podcast, where she discusses burnout, career change, workplace sustainability, and the often-overlooked professional value educators bring to other industries.
Plans for the Future
Jackson plans to expand the reach and impact of Teachers in Transition through speaking engagements, district consulting, workshops, and additional career transition resources for educators. She is especially interested in helping school districts better understand teacher retention, workplace sustainability, and the hidden costs of burnout.
Ultimately, Jackson’s work is grounded in a belief that educators deserve sustainability, respect, and opportunity. Whether a teacher chooses to stay in education, move into a different role or leave the classroom entirely, she wants them to understand their worth and make decisions from a place of clarity rather than exhaustion.
To learn more about Teachers in Transition, listen to the podcast, explore career transition resources, or inquire about coaching, consulting, or speaking engagements, visit the Teachers in Transition website.
