Vanessa Matibag

Director, Talent

As Director of Talent, Vanessa leads the work on Talent and Human Resources, setting the vision for and designing and implementing strategies for all aspects of the employee life cycle. In her role, Vanessa develops and executes people initiatives, supports policy and process improvements and provides critical human resources support to employees.

Vanessa joined Turnaround for Children in 2006 as Executive Assistant to the CEO and quickly became the Office Manager. In 2016 she was named Manager, Office and People Services and in 2018 she was promoted to Director, Office and People Services. She took over as Director, Talent in January 2020.

Vanessa has over three decades of human resources and administration experience. She began her career in the Philippines, working mostly in the corporate sector. Upon moving to the United States, Vanessa’s career has focused on nonprofit work.

Vanessa holds a B.A. from St. Paul’s College in Manila, Philippines.

Who do you admire most in your life? Who is your hero?

My parents. They had eight children and through sacrifice and hard work ensured that we had a comfortable life, received the best education and guided us through their example. They instilled in us a love of reading, respect for others and gratitude for blessings that come our way.

What is the greatest invention of all time?

The printing press. It gave us the printed word and opened a whole new world, making reading more accessible and creating an opportunity for learning.