Vanessa Iarocci
CPA, CAB.Com | CPA, CA | Certificate in Innovation, Stanford Graduate School of Business | Executive-in-Residence, Rotman School of Management, University of Toronto
What can families expect?
When your child walks into a Brain Power classroom, they are not just getting a teacher, they are getting someone who has built organizations, mentored MBA students, and spent decades studying what it actually means to lead. I bring that same standard to every student I work with. Families can expect high expectations, genuine care, and the kind of feedback that helps students grow into independent thinkers.
What does class actually feel like?
Fast, curious, and a little unpredictable. I do not believe bright students need to be coddled or slowed down. My classes move at the pace of the students, which usually means we cover more ground than anyone expected. I ask a lot of questions. I love when students push back. The best sessions feel less like a class and more like a high-stakes conversation between people who genuinely care about ideas.
How do you challenge a curious mind?
By refusing to let them settle for the obvious answer. Curious students often find the first solution quickly and then stop. I push them past that first answer, asking them to defend it, stress-test it, and then find a better one. The goal is not a correct response but a well-reasoned one. That habit, of questioning your own conclusions, is what separates strong students from exceptional thinkers.
What will my child walk away with?
The ability to think clearly under pressure, articulate ideas with confidence, and approach hard problems without flinching. These are not soft skills. They are the competencies that open doors at top universities and sustain careers. My students leave with a stronger internal compass: they know how to evaluate information, construct an argument, and adapt when the expected path disappears.
Credentials and Experience
I hold a Bachelor of Commerce, a CPA designation, and a post-graduate certificate in Innovation from Stanford GSB. I spent over two decades in executive roles at PwC and TD Bank Financial Group, then led an innovation-driven turnaround as CEO of a national school apparel company. I currently serve as Executive-in-Residence and have taught as an Adjunct Professor in the Rotman MBA program at the University of Toronto, co-creating courses and authoring original case studies. At Brain Power, I recruit faculty, mentor students directly, and collaborate with families across 11 campuses.
Why Vanessa? Why Brain Power?
Brain Power exists because the standard model of education asks students to absorb information. I built this program around a different question: what happens when we teach students how to think instead? Every hiring decision I make, every classroom I walk into, and every student conversation I have comes back to that principle. I am not a behind-the-scenes executive. I am here because this work matters, and because I believe the most important thing we can give a bright young person is the confidence to trust their own mind.