Vanessa’s career has been guided by the ideals of credit unions since she made the leap from corporate communications, branding, and design (think IBM) to the cooperative movement in 2005—the beginning of a career chapter advancing the mission of credit unions through strategic communications and design. She earned her credit union marketing stripes at the Washington Credit Union League (now GoWest Credit Union Association), where she was responsible for brand identity, designed and produced award-winning coordinated campaigns and led the statewide networking program for industry marketing professionals.

No one is better suited to direct CU Strategic Planning’s strategic communications, and Vanessa has hands-on expert knowledge of CDFI grants and the CDFI grant process. Before joining us full time, she had worked with CU Strategic Planning for eight years, including as lead editor of CDFI FA Award Application narrative sections. She’s read every FA application produced by CU Strategic Planning in 2021 and knows our clients, their products, and strategic plans intimately.

She continues her dedication to community empowerment by volunteering at her younger son’s school as chair of the Family and Community Engagement Committee, dedicated to the promotion of diversity, equity, and opportunity for all school families.

Vanessa has a Bachelor of Arts degree from The Evergreen State College and after some forays in Texas, North Carolina, and Poland, has settled back in the same Puget Sound suburb she moved to as a teenager. You’ll find her there with her husband, two sons and a giant housecat, making enviable breakfasts with her homemade jam and her husband’s home-cured bacon.