Vanessa Davis

Vanessa brings over 15 years of experience in social services, enriched by her lived experiences that shape her commitment to youth empowerment. Having faced significant challenges, including overcoming childhood trauma and the struggle for stability, she transformed her life through perseverance, faith, and hard work, ultimately creating a future that aligns with her aspirations.

Driven by a passion for fostering durable change in overlooked populations, Vanessa has dedicated her career to designing innovative services for transition-age youth. In her previous role as Youth Services Director at Just in Time for Foster Youth, she identified critical gaps in mental health services and advocated for approaches that are relevant, transformative, individualized, and realistic for young adults in transition. Through focus groups, surveys, interviews, and collaboration with clinicians and service providers, she developed the Rise to Resilience curriculum, empowering youth to navigate their unique challenges and build resilience.

Vanessa founded Rise and Thrive Healing Communities, an organization dedicated to prioritizing healing in the development and growth of individuals facing trauma. Under her leadership, Rise and Thrive has fostered a culture of resilience, helping youth reclaim their narratives and build fulfilling lives.

Her commitment to youth empowerment extends beyond local initiatives; she has been the recipient of two prestigious fellowships with the U.S. State Ambassadors Department. This opportunity allowed her to travel to Indonesia, where she collaborated with nonprofit leaders, students, and women affected by sex trafficking, facilitating conversations on trauma, resilience, and healing.

In her pursuit of systemic change, Vanessa spearheaded a collaborative effort with multiple nonprofit organizations, the Clinton Health Foundation, and the San Diego Foundation to create a Trauma-Informed Code of Conduct. This framework supports government agencies in fostering resilience and empowerment among youth. To date, 52 organizations in San Diego have adopted this vital code, underscoring the impact of Vanessa’s holistic approach to youth development and healing.