Vanessa Beltran

Mental Health Policy Fellow at Girls Empowerment Network

Education:
Bachelor of Science in Nutrition from the University of Texas at Austin

Master of Public Health Candidate with a focus on Social and Behavioral Sciences from Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health

Experience: Vanessa brings together extensive experience in community health as a direct service provider and a systems-level perspective on improving population health through her training in public health. As a dietitian at CommUnity Care in Austin, working primarily in under-resourced communities, Vanessa has firsthand knowledge of how the social determinants of health impact people's lives and wellbeing. Witnessing stark health disparities and the multitude of disadvantages her patients faced in seeking their optimal health, Vanessa decided to pursue a graduate degree in public health to affect change in the upstream determinants that structure opportunity for marginalized communities. At Harvard, Vanessa has received training in Social and Behavioral Sciences to better understand how to effectively analyze and communicate the impact of policy on health outcomes. Training and experience in the fields of Public Health Leadership and Health Communication has equipped Vanessa with essential advocacy skills to promote policies that can improve girls' mental health. In her free time, Vanessa likes to cook for friends and family, read non-fiction, watch films, and play with her two small dogs.