Vanessa B. Beasley, Ph.D., began her tenure in July 2022 as Trinity University’s 20th president in the school’s 153-year history. Guided by the University’s student-centered mission and vision, Beasley stands ready to lead one of the nation’s top liberal arts universities. Beasley is committed to working with an exceptional leadership team to continue the momentum of realizing the University's vision and values.

Beasley, Trinity’s first female president, previously served as vice provost for academic affairs, dean of residential faculty, and an associate professor of communication studies at Vanderbilt University.

Beasley's areas of academic expertise include the rhetoric of American presidents, political rhetoric on immigration, and media and politics.She attended Vanderbilt as an undergraduate and earned a bachelor of arts in speech communication and theatre arts. She also holds a Ph.D. in speech communication from the University of Texas at Austin.

President Beasley is married to Trey Beasley and they have two adult sons. She enjoys traveling, listening to live music, and lifting weights in her free time.