If you want to do something hard, don’t do it alone.

I’m passionate about helping others to make positive change. Empowerment, particularly for women, is too often monetised with talk about “becoming more confident” and “overcoming imposter syndrome”. Instead, we need to see and start with our strengths, while understanding and dismantling the systemic and structural barriers people from different backgrounds face.

Purpose-driven, empathetic leaders face both personal and professional challenges. Seeking to be innovative, remaining authentic and committing to inclusivity can add extra pressure to be perfect all the time. Holding space for your own needs, as well as those of your team and wider organisation is critical to success but hard in practice. Establishing a supportive infrastructure and external accountability for yourself can make a huge difference.

Particularly, if you’re working within a larger organisation, you need to take policy, practice and other people with you. Ensuring the rhetoric around diversity, flexibility or sustainability matches reality is essential to mitigate repetitional risks. As the modern workforce becomes more flexible, purpose-driven and competitive, your ‘employer brand’ merits particular attention to help secure the best talent in the market.

What does support look like for you?

  • Selfie of Vanessa's team, group of diverse young people

    Employer branding

    Driven by competitive pressure, consumer demand, or regulatory risk to reassess how your business impacts people and planet, as well as profit? Your reputation depends on authentically walking the talk. I’ll audit policy and day to day practices, help you define purpose and share that with current and prospective employees.

  • Consulting

    Need help scoping and designing a campaign? Seeking a fresh perspective on a creative or political challenge? Want someone to ask thoughtful questions or do a deep dive on the policy landscape that you are navigating? I’ll share my experience and tips for navigating stakeholder pressures, political opportunities and communications crises.

  • Vanessa and friend standing outside the famous black door of Number Ten Downing Street,

    Coaching

    Stepping into a public facing role and finding your voice? Struggling to motivate others when you’re feeling unfulfilled yourself? After structured career development support? Blending my lived experience in leadership and advisory roles, with formal management and coaching training, I offer personalised one to one holistic coaching.

Book a free taster session

What I’m like to work with…

  • “Vanessa made sure everyones voice was heard and that they felt recognised, creating a non-hierarchical structure. She helped us get the balance right between accepting our strengths and not being afraid to push boundaries, enabling us all to feel comfortable but also unafraid to try new things.”

    Mike Hough, Policy and Public Affairs Officer, Mental Health Foundation.

  • “Vanessa helped me prepare to share parts of my life that shaped who I am as a politician, but were deeply challenging. She supported my speechwriting, media interviews and campaign social media. Offering invaluable perspective, support, advice and humour when the going got tough.”

    Amna Ahmad, Campaigns and Advocacy Lead, The Democracy Network, Liberal Democrat Vice President and former PPC.

  • “One thing Vanessa really brings to the table is consistent energy and dynamism, matched with comms expertise, political experience and strategic wisdom. Combined with professional sensitivity and empathy - she demonstrates true Buddha meets badass leadership.”

    Charlotte Alldritt, Director, Centre for Progressive Policy.

  • “When I was a Minister, then Party Leader and beyond, Vanessa was prepared to tell me when I needed to hear something. And yet never with an axe to grind nor grudge borne if I took a different view, just candid, loyal advice and the gold dust of feedback.”

    Jo Swinson, former Equalities Minister and Liberal Democrat Party Leader

  • "Working with Vanessa has been such a blessing. She helped me build my confidence, my leadership skills and deepen my belief in myself."

    Chantel-Mariee Lewis, Trustee Sweaty Betty Foundation, Social Media Manager at Clearview Research and school governor.

  • "Vanessa facilitated a workshop to create a comms strategy for my leadership campaign. She harnessed the strengths of the team and understood the challenges for me personally in being the candidate, the incumbent, a spokesperson and a private person."

    Sophie Walker, activist, writer and former Leader of the Womens Equality Party.

  • "I'll always be grateful for the opportunity to work with Vanessa. I learned so much from her openness and generous sharing of time and skills.

    Charlotte Chung, Chief of Staff to the CEO, Money and Pensions Service UK, activist and school governor.