Vanessa Quijano

Vanessa Quijano joined New Jersey Community Capital as the Director of Communication in June 2022. In this role, she guides the organization in all aspects of communications from brand management to public relations, investor relations to organizational communications. She strives to consistently present the largest CDFI in New Jersey for their great work creating thriving communities and individuals through strategic investments and knowledge.

Prior to NJCC, Vanessa was the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Invest Newark and led the organization in serving the small businesses and entrepreneurs of the City of Newark with access to technical assistance, training and city-wide economic development programs. With Jersey City Economic Development Corporation, she directed Small Business Services counseling entrepreneurs and small business owners on every aspect of starting, owning and managing a business, including access to capital and how to open shop. Previously, Vanessa managed the corporate brand of BASF in North America including compliance and training through mergers and acquisitions. At Engelhard Corporation, she practiced internal communications, marketing communications and public relations as well as produced six award-winning annual reports.

Vanessa serves on the Board of Directors of Downtown New Jersey (DNJ) as Vice President and Treasurer. DNJ is the only statewide organization that focuses exclusively on New Jersey’s great downtowns. She is the Vice Chair on the 505 Clinton Urban Renewal Corporation Board of Directors.

Vanessa holds a Master’s in Public Relations and Corporate Communications from New York University; a Bachelor’s in Communications and a Certificate in Digital Marketing from Rutgers University.