Vanessa’s greatest passion is understanding people power and the collective strength of human connection and care. Her story begins in South Carolina, where she built her foundation through youth organizing and advocacy work with local nonprofits, learning from national organizations like the ACLU, Girl Up, and Save the Children Action Network.

After earning her degree in International Business from the University of San Francisco, she continued her commitment to community by working with small teams and local nonprofits across supportive housing, arts and culture, youth advocacy, entrepreneurship, and women’s sports, all driven by her desire to understand what makes a just society and continuing the efforts of equity. Today, she channels those experiences into helping organizations with outreach and marketing.

Vanessa has been recognized as a Future of Us 2026 Fellow, a program dedicated to San Francisco-based innovators and activators working to co-build a vibrant, informed, and imaginative civic life for their communities. She was also selected as a WNBA Valkyries Ascending Star, part of a dynamic group of young women across the Bay Area who are rising leaders making their mark in their respective spaces.