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EVENT DETAILS |
Join us on March 24 to hear Vanessa Kelly interpret the theme of Corruption.
About Vanessa Kelly
Vanessa is a deaf disability advocate, speaker, & writer who practices narrative advocacy in the belief that sharing our stories is a change catalyst.
A practicing corporate lawyer, Vanessa serves in several disability-related leadership roles. She is the co-head of her employer's Disability Network, where she creates educational programming & training, participates in disability recruiting initiatives, & implements disability-inclusive policies & procedures. Vanessa serves on the Hearing Loss Association of America New York chapter Board of Directors where she is also an active chapter member & featured speaker. She mentors professionals with disabilities & was recently selected to be a mentor in the Lime Connect Foundation Program for Young Professionals. Vanessa is a regular panelist & speaker at corporate & non-profit disability-related events. She served on the faculty for the Practicing Law Institute's Diversity & Inclusion in Law Practice 2022 symposium. Vanessa has been featured on NPR & in other media publications. She is currently featured in the Center for Hearing & Communication & NYU's Cochlear Implant Center's marketing campaigns.
In addition to disability advocacy, Vanessa is dedicated to meditation & environmental conservation. She is a certified teacher of mindfulness meditation, contemplative nature practices, & Kripalu yoga. She teaches meditation in corporate & Buddhist retreat environments as well as at the Nalanda Institute where she serves on the Board of Directors & equity leadership team. She has completed the two-year Socially Engaged Buddhism training program with Upaya Zen Center. Vanessa is currently completing the three-year contemplative psychotherapy program with the Nalanda Institute & the two-year Margha program with Natural Dharma Fellowship. Vanessa also serves on the Board of Trustees of Naropa University, a leader in contemplative education. Vanessa is a Level Two Mindful Outdoor Guide through the Kripalu School of Outdoor Leadership & a New York State volunteer Master Naturalist. She is certified in wilderness first aid & is a Leave No Trace trainer. She is proud to serve on the Board of Directors at Wonder & Grow, a West Virginia non-profit providing immersive & educational nature experiences for children & their parents through curiosity-driven exploration & mindfulness practices. Vanessa works to make meditation, mindful movement, & the outdoors more accessible to the disability community.
A Minnesota native, Vanessa now calls Brooklyn & upstate New York home along with her beloved partner, animals, & books. She honors her Irish heritage by supporting the Irish Arts Center & the Irish Repertory Theatre, as well as Irish authors & artisans.
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