As a senior consultant at GHV, Vanessa provides policy, advocacy, and communications support across agriculture and nutrition portfolios. She primarily works with the Agricultural Development Team at the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation.
Vanessa has extensive experience working across sectors to implement sustainability strategies and programs. She is accomplished in streamlining processes, promoting innovative solutions, and building partnerships to increase organizational efficiency and impact. For the past decade, her work has focused on advancing food and agricultural systems that are regenerative, resilient, inclusive, and equitable.
Prior to GHV, Vanessa served as assistant director at the Center on Global Food and Agriculture at the Chicago Council on Global Affairs. As part of her position, she oversaw the content development and production for a portfolio of research and policy publications, including the Council’s annual global food security report. Her previous assignments include advising private sector clients on responsible supply chain practices and business development; strengthening regional food systems and alleviating food insecurity in California; and supporting capacity-building for smallholder farmers through agricultural extension programs in Nepal.
Vanessa holds a master of development practice (MDP), specializing in sustainable food and agricultural systems, from UC Berkeley and a BA in international relations and anthropology from UC San Diego. Her international experience spans across Europe, Latin America, East and South Asia. She currently resides in Helsinki, Finland with her partner, Cioby; their daughters, Maya and Millie; and their Taiwanese rescue dog, Suki. Outside of work, Vanessa enjoys exploring Finnish nature with her kids or cozying up with a good book.
Areas of Expertise:
• Strategy development
• Stakeholder engagement
• Program design, implementation, and evaluation
• Project management
• Writing, research, and analysis
• Issue areas: regenerative agriculture, food and nutrition security, climate, responsible sourcing and global supply chains, community-driven development