Vanessa Furtado manages partnerships with federal host agencies and offices to facilitate day-to-day coordination of fellows. This entails conducting the selection and placement processes; monitoring and reporting on fellowship activities; and serving as a liaison and guide to fellows and their mentors. In addition, she contributes to planning and conducting sessions for the annual orientation, and participates in outreach and recruitment efforts.
Vanessa has more than 16 years of nonprofit experience with expertise in training, capacity building and program design and management. Before joining AAAS in 2020, she spent 12 years with Physicians for Reproductive Health directing the Leadership Training Academy, a nationwide fellowship that prepares physicians to become self-directed leaders in reproductive health advocacy. During her tenure, the Academy increased from the original class of 22 fellows to 350+ alumni working in nine medical specialties and representing 46 states and Washington DC.
Vanessa earned an M.S. in policy analysis and management from the New School in New York City and a B.A. in psychology from the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. A native Californian, she currently lives in Washington with her husband and five-year-old kid.