Vanessa Joy Walker is a dynamic healthcare strategist, patient experience leader, and nationally recognized speaker who brings 15+ years of cross-sector expertise in healthcare, communications, and advocacy. A former Director of Operations at a boutique education firm, Vanessa has built coalitions, launched nonprofits, advised executive teams, and shaped brand strategies for health organizations seeking to integrate authentic patient voice into their work.

As the founder of Living After Crisis Inc. and co-founder of the Breast Cancer Early Detection Coalition, Vanessa combines her lived experience as a two-time cancer survivor and mental health advocate with deep operational and design thinking skills. She serves on the Psych Congress Steering Committee and advises national organizations, including the Depression and Bipolar Support Alliance (DBSA). She is also a leader with Women’s Health Advocates, a national coalition advancing policy and funding for women’s health.

From boardrooms to ballrooms, Vanessa delivers more than inspiration—she helps organizations reimagine patient partnerships, design education that resonates, and build cultures rooted in empathy and equity. Her work focuses especially on women’s health, survivorship, and behavioral health. She is currently pursuing her MPH at UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health.