Vanessa Beary, Swimming & Diving
BrownBears.com will feature one former male and female student-athlete who has gone on to achieve success in the workplace, as well as exhibit the spirit of Brown University within the community. The installments will provide highlights of the selectees’ athletic careers at Brown and offer a glimpse into their current career paths.Alumni Spotlight – Vanessa Beary ’04
A distance freestyler with the Bears, Dr. Vanessa Beary ’04 recorded top times in the 1000 yard freestyle, 1650 yard freestyle and 200 yard backstroke as a member of the Brown women’s swimming & diving team.
Academically, after receiving a Bachelor of Arts in History of Art and Architecture and Italian Studies from Brown, Beary went on to obtain a Master of Philosophy from the University of Cambridge, a Master of Education from Harvard and a Doctor of Education from Harvard.
After graduating from Cambridge in 2006, Beary was hired as a Social Science Advisor for the Multi-National Corps and moved to Baghdad, Iraq. She worked directly with the U.S. Embassy and Iraqi Ministries where she monitored media, public relations and communications issues to further stability and economic development.
In 2007, Beary relocated to Wasit, Iraq and was hired as a Public Diplomacy Officer by the U.S. Department of State. In Wasit, she helped organize the first apolitical, non-religious cultural event in the city. Beary also started five internet centers in the city and obtained more than $2.5 million in funding for educational, cultural and media training projects.
In 2008, Beary served on a Temporary Appointment as a Public Diplomacy Officer on the Wasit Provincial Reconstruction Team and received the Outstanding Civilian Service Award from the U.S. Department of the Army in that role. The award is the third-highest honor that the U.S. Army can grant to a civilian.
Beary later spent two years working as Senior Advisor on Youth Entrepreneurship for the U.S. Department of State (2014-16). In her position, she served in the Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs (EB/CBA) as the Senior Advisor on Youth Entrepreneurship. She fronted the design of the Department's Resilient, Entrepreneurial, and Dynamic Youth (READY) Initiative.
Throughout the years, Beary remained involved with swimming, competing with the University of Cambridge’s team and participating in the 2013 Boston Sharkfest Swim, an open water race where she came in third overall for women and first in her age group.
Currently, Beary is an Education Entrepreneur with 1776.
Alumni and fans are encouraged to participate in the Alumni Spotlight nomination process by submitting nominees to athleticcommunication@brown.edu. Nominations should include: notable career achievements, current occupation, location, recent photos, and notable contributions to the community.
