Women's Public Leadership Network (WPLN) is excited to continue our podcast series, Tips From The Trail, hosted by WPLN Founder & President Larissa Martinez, where we explore the path to political office, from the decision to run to election day.
This special episode was recorded live at WPLN's 2026 National Summit in Philadelphia and features a conversation with Kentucky State Representative Vanessa Grossl, a former educator, small business owner, and community leader who overcame a well-funded incumbent to win a highly competitive legislative race.
Vanessa joined Larissa to discuss the family story that inspired her to run, the grassroots strategy that helped her win, and what she has learned about turning constituent concerns into effective public policy.
See highlights from the episode below and listen to the full conversation for more practical advice from Vanessa’s campaign and leadership journey.
Carrying Her Mother’s Legacy Forward: Vanessa’s decision to run for office began with her mother. Raised in eastern Kentucky, Vanessa’s mother participated in the federal Head Start program before becoming a teenage mom. When Vanessa started school, her mother enrolled in community college, became a kindergarten teacher, and eventually served as a school superintendent.
When her mother announced her retirement, Vanessa found herself asking who would pick up the torch she was laying down. Because education represents such a significant portion of Kentucky’s state budget, Vanessa saw the legislature as a meaningful place to continue that work.
Grassroots Work Can Overcome a Fundraising Gap: Vanessa entered a difficult race against a three-term incumbent who had consistently survived close elections, and her opponent outraised her three to one. But rather than allowing the fundraising gap to define the campaign, Vanessa focused on direct voter contact. She knocked on approximately 15,000 doors—many more than once—and drew on relationships she had already built through years of community involvement.
Her campaign also found creative ways to connect with voters. These small, personal touches helped build trust and made the campaign memorable.
Listen First and Find Ways to Be Helpful: When Vanessa entered the Kentucky House, she hoped to work on education policy and was assigned to the Education Committee. More experienced legislators helped her begin by sharing legislation they had already been developing, giving her an opportunity to learn the process and establish a record of collaboration. Her initial approach was simple: listen and determine how she could be helpful.
That mindset eventually led Vanessa to work on child care legislation shaped by conversations with providers, families, and other stakeholders. Three of her child care proposals were ultimately incorporated into a broader legislative package passed by the state.
Relationships Are Part of Effective Leadership: Vanessa also discussed the value of mentorship in helping new legislators navigate public office. Kentucky assigns every incoming legislator a mentor, but Vanessa also benefited from other members who made themselves available to answer questions and offer guidance. Now that she has more experience, she is thinking intentionally about how she can provide that same support to newer members. Effective leadership requires hard work, but it also requires trust, connection, and an understanding of the people working alongside you.
Representing the Entire Community: Vanessa represents a politically competitive district with voters from across the ideological spectrum. Long before running for office, she had built friendships and community relationships with people who did not always share her political views. After becoming a candidate, she experienced how quickly political labels can affect personal relationships. Rather than allowing those labels to dictate her approach, Vanessa has remained focused on listening, collaborating, and representing everyone in her district. For Vanessa, public service is not about one person, one party, or one agenda. It is about doing the work people elected her to do.
Do What Makes You Uncomfortable: Vanessa’s advice to aspiring leaders is to do the thing that makes them uncomfortable. That might mean running for office, asking for support, learning a new communication platform, or taking on an unfamiliar issue. One of Vanessa’s college interns even encouraged her to begin using TikTok so she could better communicate with the younger voters in her district. Stepping outside your comfort zone does not mean abandoning who you are. It means being willing to learn, adapt, and meet people where they are.
And for Vanessa, the opportunity to meet people, solve problems, and create meaningful change has been more rewarding than she imagined.
If you're considering public service, remember that you do not need the most money, every endorsement, or all the answers before you begin. Your relationships, lived experience, willingness to listen, and commitment to your community can be some of your greatest campaign assets.
WPLN is here to help you take that next step. Explore our free candidate training resources on our website to learn more about how you can take the next step and check out our upcoming events where you can register for virtual and in-person programs and connect with a national network of women leaders.
Check out the full episode on Spotify, YouTube, or Apple Podcasts!
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Kentucky State Representative Vanessa Grossl represents the 88th District in the Kentucky House of Representatives. A former teacher and business-minded executive, she previously worked with Fayette County Public Schools and the Council of State Governments, where she co-led the 2021–2022 Healthy States National Task Force. Vanessa and her husband, Cameron, also operate Grossl Aviation. Her legislative work focuses on education, child care, constituent priorities, and making government work more effectively for the people she serves.
WPLN, is a national nonprofit educating, organizing, and inspiring center- and right-leaning women to seek public office at all levels across the U.S. and become effective leaders. The views and policy positions expressed by guests on this podcast are their own and do not represent endorsement by WPLN.