Vanessa E. Figueroa

WORK HISTORY

EDUCATION

SKILLS

ABOUT VANESSA E. FIGUEROA

A recognized leader in media relations, strategic and crisis communications, reputation and events management, corporate communications and community engagement, Vanessa Figueroa understands how to navigate the public relations landscape and a diverse array of public affairs challenges.Vanessa Figueroa joined Bolton-St. Johns as a Vice President in 2023. She advises clients in the healthcare, affordable housing, transportation, technology, economic development, consumer, corporate, non-profit and education sectors on their public affairs initiatives along with providing strategic communications counsel. In 2025, Vanessa was recently recognized by PoliticsNY & amNY Metro’s “Power Players in PR & Lobbying List.” In 2024, Vanessa was ranked one of the top 25 communication professionals in City & State’s “Political PR Power 75,” City & State’s “Power Of Diversity: Latino 100,” PoliticsNY & amNY Metro’s “Power Players in PR & Lobbying List” and Politics NY & amNY Metro’s “Latino Power Players.” Before joining Bolton-St. John’s, Vanessa served as a Vice President of public affairs at a strategic communications agency in New York City for nearly four years. She worked across industries that included hospitality, corporate, lifestyle, non-profit, cannabis, public housing and economic development.She has provided consultation and in-house representation of corporate, government, and nonprofit clients such as Comcast, ComEd, Dove, Wrigley, Butterball Turkey, U.S. Cellular, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, Pfizer, Sinai Health System, World Business Chicago, Latino Policy Forum, The Chicago Community Trust, Year Up Chicago, and the Chicago White Sox.Vanessa launched Figueroa Strategic Communications, a Chicago-based public affairs consulting firm, in 2014, working with high-profile non-profit organizations, Chicago Teacher’s Union, SEIU Healthcare Illinois/Indiana/Missouri/Kansas, WTTW/PBS, Gun Violence Prevention Political Action Committee and elected officials. She is proud to have worked with her first client and first-ever run-off challenger in Chicago mayoral history, Jesus “Chuy” Garcia, who is now a U.S. Congressman for Illinois’ fourth district.A Chicago native and a former Big Ten soccer player, Vanessa earned her Bachelors of Sociology from Northwestern University and Master’s in Public Service Management from DePaul University. She started her career working for the City of Chicago serving as an aldermanic community relations liaison and conducted statewide grassroots outreach efforts for then-U.S. Senator Barack Obama.