Vanessa joined the team in 2025 to further support the work of the Dales to Vale River Network, a CaBA Catchment Partnership.
After studying Biology at the University of Leeds, Vanessa worked as Research Assistant in the littoral forests of South-East Madagascar, with a focus on monitoring local lemur populations. She returned to Leeds to complete her MSc in Biodiversity and Conservation and refocus her work on supporting UK conservation.
Vanessa has worked at Yorkshire Wildlife Trust (YWT) for seven years, starting out as a Nature Reserve Trainee. She then spent two years working with the Yorkshire Derwent Catchment Partnership leading on the restoration of a SSSI Wetland. The majority of Vanessa's time at YWT was spent as Crayfish Project Officer, managing the Yorkshire Crayfish Forum and mobilising a wide range of partners and stakeholders to deliver projects focusing on the conservation of white-clawed crayfish, including the establishment of new ark sites and setting up a captive-rearing facility.
Outside of work, Vanessa enjoys reading, yoga, and exploring the countryside with her Airedale Terrier, Otto.
