Slate of Officers, 2024-2025
VANESSA LAFRANCO of New Jersey
Slated Position: NFRW President
Vanessa LaFranco is a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania and was a leader in the UPenn College Republicans. She interned with NJ Congressman Chris Smith, Chairman of the Helsinki Commission, and gained greater insight regarding the importance of early and precise political advice, was taught how to graciously fundraise, attenuated her advocacy skills, and gained the political astuteness necessary to solidly build strong political constituencies.
In 2003, Vanessa joined the New Jersey Federation of Republican Women (NJFRW). In 2013 and 2015, Vanessa was unanimously elected the youngest President since the NJFRW was founded in 1929.
In 2015, she received the NFRW Ronald Reagan Award, in recognition of her leadership, initiation of new programs, increased statewide membership, excellence in public relations, and her campaign successes. Vanessa increased her membership exponentially and more than doubled the NJFRW’s assets.
Under her Presidency, she instituted a policy that ensured every member of the NJFRW who ran for office received a campaign contribution. To date, the NJFRW has financially supported over a thousand member candidates.
Vanessa serves as NFRW’s 1st Vice President and has served as Secretary and Treasurer. In her roles at NFRW, she has enhanced revenue strategies across the national, state, and local levels. Moreover, she has played a pivotal role in streamlining and implementing efficient online documentation processes and ensuring seamless operations within the organization.
Vanessa spearheaded the development and implementation of comprehensive training programs, both in-person and online, by empowering and engaging our grassroots membership. These initiatives were aimed at improving the overall quality of the NFRW, but also fostering growth and active participation among our dedicated members.
Vanessa has worked in finance with Morgan Stanley and The Royal Bank of Canada, managing the financial assets, trusts, and estates of private clients. She has served on numerous non-profit Boards, including the Tony Award-winning McCarter Theatre, the Washington-Rochambeau Society, and the Princeton University Art Museum.
Vanessa has been named as one of Save Jersey’s ‘Right Women to Watch,’ serves on the Advisory Committee for Rutgers University’s Center for American Women and Politics’ Bipartisan Coalition for Women’s Appointments, and returned to her alma mater as a Conference Panelist for A Dialogue Between Practitioners And Academics To Increase Women’s Representation In Public Life at the University of Pennsylvania’s FELS Institute of Government.