About Vandy

It all started when I was eleven years old.  My best friend was over at my house and we had a tough decision to make: Do we go T-P someone's house, OR do I try cutting my friend's hair? (Oh the days of impulsivity and "grand" ideas!) We didn't have spare toilet paper (or money for that matter), so digging through the kitchen drawers for scissors we went!  We locked ourselves in the bathroom for a few hours having the time of our lives!  When it came time to turn her toward the mirror, both she and I were astonished that it not only turned out great, it immediately became her new favorite haircut!!

It was at this moment that I realized that I wanted to do this for the rest of my life. 

I continued cutting, coloring, styling hair and makeup designing for all of my friends and family throughout grade school.  I then applied to 'Paul Mitchell the School East Bay'. In 2010 I graduated with honors and immediately found a job. I have worked at many salons, including 3 in Australia, but currently I call Studio One Seven Salon in Castro Valley home =)

I love being part of my everyday, salon clientele's lives. They have become my family, and I love going to work everyday to help people look and feel their best. I truly am blessed to be doing what I love for a living, and couldn't imagine a world where cosmetology was not my career.

In January 2015 I married my best friend on the beach in beautiful Puerto Vallarta Mexico!  We moved to Perth Australia in the summer of that same year. After an exciting 8 months abroad we are came back in the Bay Area. We now have two gorgeous boys, Leo and Dante.  I am so lucky to have these two handsome guys in my life and am a happy and proud wife and mamma! 

About the Nickname

My given name is Jennifer Marie Vanderbilt. Most of my family and childhood friends call me Jenny. I got the nickname "Vandy" when I was 19. I had moved to Seattle, WA to do a year of volunteer work with City Year, Americorps. While I was living there I made many new friends. This program recruited young people from all around the country. One friend in particular just happened to be from the East Coast and was a fan of Vanderbilt University (AKA Vandy). She started calling me Vandy and so did everyone else she and I knew. After serving the Seattle community for nearly a year I moved back to the Bay Area and soon after started Cosmetology School. On my first day of school I instinctively introduced myself to the teachers and students as Vandy and it stuck. I now go by it professionally.