Vanessa Vergara

Vanessa Vergara is a dedicated cultural advocate with a strong commitment to promoting diversity, cultural equity, and inclusion, focusing on preserving the first-voice centers of memory and heritage to enhance the cultural and economic vibrancy of Chicago and the surrounding region.

She has a background as a non-profit board member and a legal professional, specializing in Complex Commercial Litigation, Multi-District Litigation, Arbitration, Coverage Disputes, and Mediation. Her work aims to foster connections between communities and cultures to cultivate empathy and cross-cultural understanding.

Vanessa holds a Juris Doctor degree with Cum Laude honors from Northwestern University School of Law, and a Bachelor of Arts degree with Summa Cum Laude honors in Political Science and English from Hamline University. She also participated in the Washington Semester Program at American University and studied abroad at the University of Oxford.

Her involvement in various organizations includes serving as the President of the Board of Directors at the Chicago Cultural Alliance, and holding positions on the boards of The Illinois Campaign for Political Reform. Vanessa's past professional experience includes roles as a Senior Associate at Goldberg Kohn, an Associate at Grippo & Elden, and a Judicial Law Clerk to the Hon. Karen Nelson Moore of the Sixth Circuit at the U.S. Courts of Appeals.