Vanessa leads development, communications and alumni support as Chief Development Officer at DC Prep. Prior to joining DC Prep, Vanessa led programs in Flamboyan Foundation's Puerto Rico office. Vanessa returned to Puerto Rico, her place of birth, with a commitment to supporting education on the island. Vanessa previously worked in DC education as Vice President of Operations and Strategy at Education Forward DC and as Associate Partner at NewSchools Venture Fund. She has also worked for the Academy for Urban School Leadership (AUSL) and Education Elements. Vanessa began her career as a strategy consultant at Bain & Company and The Bridgespan Group. Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Arts in economics and Spanish from Emory University, as well as an MBA and Master’s of Arts in Education from Stanford University.