Guilford Public Safety Director Vanessa White recently completed a three-week leadership program sponsored by the North Carolina Justice Academy. Her certificate wasn’t the only thing she walked away with after the course ended.

She was named the class’ “Heart of a Leader” award recipient by her peers, which was presented to her at the end of the course.

“Completely surprised, oh yes, I never expected the award,” says Vanessa. “It means a lot coming from people who do what I do and I respect.”

Vanessa was chosen by her peers as the one who most demonstrated the attributes of the five leadership practices on which the course is focused. These practices are modeling the way, inspiring a shared vision, challenging the process, enabling others to act and encouraging the heart.

The class is designed to equip criminal justice leaders like Vanessa to steer their agencies and communities toward the future. 

Vanessa learned more about community engagement, laws related to employment, public records, and liability/immunity, change management, the effects of social media on public safety and the challenges it creates for leaders, trust-building and best practices for interacting with the news media.

“I think (the course) is going to help me become a stronger leader within my department, and that’s going to make everyone around me stronger, too,” she says.

Vanessa joined Guilford as Public Safety Director in January 2022 after working at Davidson College and at N.C. A&T State University, her alma mater.