Vanessa Rousso

Vanessa Rousso, known by her poker nickname “Lady Maverick,” is a French-American former full-time professional poker player, attorney, and television personality. Born in New York and raised in part in France and Florida, she developed a strong academic and competitive foundation before pursuing poker professionally. She graduated from Duke University with a degree in economics in just two and a half years, studying game theory - an interest that later became central to her poker career.

Rousso became a prominent figure in live and online poker, playing under the screen name “LadyMaverick” and representing Team PokerStars Pro until 2015. Known for her analytical approach, she also shared her expertise through Big Slick Boot Camp, teaching poker strategy and game theory. Her appearances on televised poker programs, including “Poker After Dark” and “The Big Game”, helped make her one of the most recognizable personalities of her era.

Beyond poker, Rousso gained wider recognition as a contestant on CBS's Big Brother Season 17 in 2015, finishing third after initially keeping her professional poker background secret from her fellow houseguests. She also appeared on E!'s Bank of Hollywood and took part in GoDaddy advertising campaigns. Passionate about electronic music, she studied music production through Berklee's online program and later formed the DJ duo N1TEL1TE with Melissa Ouellet. In 2017, they released the single Kiss Face.

After stepping away from poker as her primary career, Rousso earned her Juris Doctor from the University of Miami in 2018, graduating magna cum laude and earning membership in the Order of the Coif. In April 2025, she joined Kelley Kronenberg as a partner and business unit leader, focusing on business litigation, commercial matters, and legal issues involving emerging technologies. Her career spans professional poker, reality television, electronic music, and law, making her a notably versatile figure in the poker world.