Vanessa Williams is an award-winning technology entrepreneur specializing in AI innovation, business branding, and web development. The emerging leader also owns two tech ventures, Lucent Multimedia LLC and Meditation and I.

Williams first learned to harness her creative energy writing poetry as a teenager. She later began exploring her visual creativity in college and worked tech jobs before becoming a freelance web designer.

“I draw inspiration from dribble, research, friends, family and strangers, my home, public spaces, and my favorite colors. I love neon,” Williams said. “I even believe it’s wise to look at your competitors, not to steal their ideas but for inspiration.”

The Arizona mother of four endured many hardships in pursuit of her tech dreams, including her son’s diagnoses of Autism and ADHD. Williams learned to advocate for her child leading to noticeable improvements in his condition.

A lack of financing often stalled projects for weeks or months. Despite these setbacks, Williams pushed forward, entering tech competitions and earning cash prizes to fund her work. In 2020, she launched Lucent Multimedia. The advanced web design and app development company creates social networks, e-commerce, business branding, and booking and ticketing systems. Meditation and I, which develops therapeutic, voice-guided, virtual meditation apps, followed in 2022.

Williams encourages other women and minorities to pursue careers in technology to provide more diverse perspectives to the industry. She is an avid writer who loves spending time with her family and friends, supporting mothers, and advocating for children with special needs.