BIO

Vanessa Fontanez is a transformative creative marketing and strategy leader, coach and consultant. She has two decades of experience in media and entertainment, working with brands including Vox Media, GQ, Marie Claire, Condé Nast Traveler, Woman’s Day Brand Group, Travel + Leisure, Food & Wine, People en Español, and Billboard.

Vanessa has garnered a diverse skill set and expertise in helping brands amplify their voice and talent— building real connections with audiences and advertising partners. She has built business functions from scratch and finds smart, creative ways to monetize brand IP, working with innovative C-suites, editorial teams and clients across categories.

Throughout her career, she has dedicated herself to helping women navigate their professional journeys. Through The Upgrade, she works with incredible talent as a coach and consultant—serving as a partner in crime to guide and support them in transforming personal brand, disentangling more complex challenges, strategizing on business plans, building a network dedicated to their success, and more. She also supports organizations in developing key talent as they ask leaders to take on more—new teams, positions, lines of business, etc. Her clients include women at Condé Nast, The Boston Globe, Vox Media and Tripadvisor, to name a few.

Inspired by her everyday adventures in New York and throughout her travels around the world, Vanessa continues to make deep connections and develop creative ways to empower her clients to thrive professionally and personally.