Vanessa Young

Vanessa Young is an experienced communications professional with a background in strategic engagement and policy analysis. Currently serving as the Strategic Engagement and Communications Manager at The MacDiarmid Institute since March 2016, Vanessa oversees outreach programs and engagement strategies with government and key partners. Prior to this role, Vanessa held various positions at the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment, including Communications Specialist for IPONZ. As a freelancer from 2007 to 2015, Vanessa produced content for several publications and worked extensively in policy analysis across multiple government departments. Earlier in their career, Vanessa gained valuable international experience as a Policy Analyst at the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade, including a posting to the Embassy in Tokyo. Vanessa holds a Bachelor of Science with Honors in Biochemistry from Victoria University of Wellington.