Vanessa Sarria serves as Chief Program Officer of Cardea, a national, women of color-led organization with a 50-year history of social impact evaluation, policy advancement, capacity development, and professional learning. In line with Cardea's vision of a world in which optimal health and well-being, equity, and justice are realities for all communities, Vanessa is committed to addressing complex program, policy, and systems issues by co-creating solutions that center community strengths and wisdom.Vanessa has 30 years of experience leading public health initiatives and programs at the national, state, and local levels. Vanessa is passionate about enhancing equity and opportunity and has dedicated her career to improving public health. She is an experienced convener and has extensive expertise engaging the community and diverse stakeholders to collectively raise awareness and promote collaboration to address systemic issues and engage underserved communities in the areas of housing, workforce/economic development, food access, healthcare, language access, substance use, mental health, transportation, early education and care, and sexual health. Vanessa has served in executive leadership, management, coalition-building, and community engagement roles for a range of organizations. Prior to joining Cardea in July of 2016, Vanessa supported early childhood systems building initiatives at the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services. In 2015, she served as the Policy and Initiative Advancement Director to advance equity and opportunity initiatives for Austin Mayor Steve Adler who was the first mayor to serve as part of the “10-1” City Council system. From 2007 to 2014, Vanessa served as the Executive Director of the Community Advancement Network (CAN), a neutral convener and partnership of governmental, non-profit, private and faith-based organizations committed to improving social, health, educational and economic opportunities in Central Texas. Prior to CAN, Sarria served in various management, planning, research, program coordination, and community engagement roles at Workforce Solutions Capital Area, Austin Public Health, Montgomery County United Way, Austin/Travis County Integral Care, and the National Public Health and Hospital Institute in Washington, DC. Vanessa received a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Texas at Austin in 1989 and a Master of Public Administration with a concentration in health policy from the Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs at Syracuse University, New York, in 1992.