Vanessa holds a BA in Social Welfare from the University of Wisconsin - Madison and an MSW from Columbia University. A former teacher in DC public and charter schools, Vanessa decided to pursue her passion for social work, serving as a birth parent counselor at Adoptions Together for her clinical practicum. She is currently a school social worker at the Maret School and a private psychotherapist for Positive Strides LLC. Vanessa also consults and leads workshops for Health by All Means, a non-profit organization that works with local leaders in rural Kenya to promote women's health and human rights education and empowerment. In her spare time, Vanessa enjoys practicing yoga, baking challah, spending time in nature, and playing with her dog, Frida.