At the age of 15, Vanessa Kjeldsen premiered her first short film at SXSW in Austin, Texas. She has been in love with storytelling ever since. Kjeldsen is a recent graduate of Northwestern University's Medill School of Journalism. She is the recipient of The 2022 National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Student Achievement Tom Skilling Award, and has been nominated for a Chicago/Midwest Emmy for her reporting. During her time as an anchor, producer and reporter for Northwestern News Network, she was also nominated for five Student Chicago/Midwest Emmys, including Best Talent. In 2022, Kjeldsen's investigative police reporting earned the Society of Professional Journalists' Mark of Excellence. She has reported for the Washington Post, United Press International, NBC 15, and WEAU 13.