Vanessa (she/her) is a social impact urban planner and educator. Through her practice, she works to strengthen the connection between the built environment, culture, lived-experience and identity. Vanessa is the co-founder and CEO of Open Design Collective where she collaborates with community members on city planning, cultural preservation, and design initiatives that advance equity in Black and marginalized neighborhoods. Additionally, Vanessa serves as the Associate Director of the University of Oklahoma's College of Architecture Institute for Quality Communities and is a co-founder of BlackSpace Oklahoma.
