Vanessa Kuhlor is a multifaceted creative and expert in strategic partnerships. As the founder of Henfie, she is passionate about fostering creativity and expanding access to art appreciation. Vanessa is attending Culture Shift Weekend as a representative of Silicon Valley Bank, where she is a consulting Vice President under her consulting arm, InbetweenDreamz.

At InbetweenDreamz, Vanessa focuses on work that furthers the African Diaspora and community at the intersections of innovation, design, and community building.

As A Vice President on the SVB Catalsyt 45 Team, she is accelerating change that drives results through access to capital, resources, connections, expertise, and advice to women, Black and Latinx innovators, entrepreneurs, founders, and investors.

Her expertise in market expansion, venture capital fundraising, strategic partnerships, and community engagement has been honed through roles at companies like PayAngel, dedicated to providing tailored financial services that empower the African diaspora to send money home quickly and affordably, enabling them to support families and invest in their communities.

She has built thriving innovator communities within the global ecosystem at Vouch Insurance (YC S'19) and, during her five-year tenure at Silicon Valley Bank, was instrumental in reshaping the landscape for underrepresented founders and investors, leading efforts that significantly increased access to banking and financial services for diverse entrepreneurs.

Vanessa is a Mentor In Residence at Goodie Nation, a member of Black Girls in Art Spaces, AfricaTechNYC, BlackWomenTalkTech, BrooklynMusuem, an advisor for Women Of Color & Capital, and serves on the boards of WhatsNextCON and YoungBlackTechnologist (YBT).

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