Vanessa’s biggest passion is deepening her understanding of people power and the collective strength of human connection and care. Her story begins in South Carolina, where she started strengthening her community through youth organizing and advocacy work with various nonprofits in the region.

She earned her degree in International Business from the University of San Francisco, where her studies focused on the intersection of international identities and how they come together to shape business proposals and structures. Still driven by her passion for people organizing, she went on to work with small teams and local nonprofits, learning from community leaders across supportive housing, arts and culture, youth advocacy, specialized entrepreneurship assistance, and women’s sports — deepening her understanding of what it takes to build a just society.

Alongside this work, Vanessa has built hands-on experience in digital media and social media management, helping organizations strengthen their outreach and marketing efforts and connect more meaningfully with their communities online.

Her work has been recognized both locally: she was named a Future of Us 2026 Fellow in San Francisco, the collective’s inaugural program for San Francisco-based leaders and activators working to co-build a vibrant, informed, connected, and imaginative civic life for their communities.

Outside of work, Vanessa is a devoted reality TV fan, makes it a personal mission to try every taco truck in any new city she visits, and cherishes spending time with the people she loves most.