Vanessa Santiago

Vanessa, originally from Boston, Massachusetts, has lived in Winchester for the past several years and loves it. She has a personal passion for eating nutritious foods and leading a healthy lifestyle. This originated when she first started working at the Harvard School of Public Health, specifically with the Department of Nutrition. She later went on to study business with a focus on public health at Brigham Young University-Idaho. Since then, Vanessa has worked in roles that serve global populations. Prior to her role as an Extension Agent, Vanessa worked for a global health humanitarian organization, Project HOPE, where she mobilized and led medical volunteers in natural disaster responses around the world. Health priorities during disasters mainly included water, sanitation, and hygiene, managing chronic diseases like diabetes, and restoring access to healthy foods. In her current role as an Associate Extension Agent, Vanessa plans and delivers educational programs focused on nutrition and health. Programs are developed based on the needs of communities within Frederick, Clarke, Page, Shenandoah, and Warren County.

Education:

• 2019 – Master of Business Administration, Shenandoah University
• 2012 – Bachelor of Science in Business Management with Concentration in Marketing and Public Health, Brigham Young University-Idaho

Experience:

• 2019 - Present – Associate Extension Agent, Family and Consumer Sciences Food, Nutrition & Health, Virginia Cooperative Extension
• 2016 - 2019 – Manager of Global Volunteers Program, Project HOPE
• 2014 - 2016 – Senior Coordinator for International Admissions, Shenandoah University
• 2010 - 2014 – Admissions Specialist, Brigham Young University Pathway Worldwide
• 2007 - 2010 – Annual Giving and Leadership Development Assistant, Harvard School of Public Health

Certifications:

• Certified in Volunteer Administration (CVA)

Languages:

• Fluent in Spanish and Portuguese