Vanessa Quijano
Director, Communications
Vanessa Quijano joined NJCC as the Director of Communication in June 2022. In this role she. She is an expert in brand management, economic development and integrated marketing communications. She is a dedicated and seasoned manager who successfully leads organizations to achieve brand and market presence.
As the Senior Vice President of Business Development at Invest Newark, Vanessa led the organization in serving small businesses and entrepreneurs of the City of Newark with access to technical assistance, training and access to capital. Vanessa managed the growth of the Newark Fiber program, the high-speed, low-cost internet service provider based on the city’s fiber infrastructure and oversees Smart City initiatives. Also, she oversaw the launch of Newark Paper Company, an office supplies and janitorial products supplier at the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. Newark Paper Company is envisioned to be an employee-owned cooperative. Vanessa is the chair of the Newark Paper Company Board of Directors and is a member of the 505 Clinton Urban Renewal Corporation Board of Directors. Additionally, Vanessa managed the communications and public relations of Invest Newark elevating the brand and promoting campaigns such as the launch of the Newark Land Bank, the Section 8 Homeownership
Conversion Program, Newark Restaurant Week and the business development training programs such as Language of Capital, Newark Tech Expo and MWBE Certification Expo.
Vanessa is on the Board of Directors of Downtown New Jersey as Vice President and Treasurer. Downtown New Jersey is an organization of individuals, businesses, government agencies, and local and regional organizations that are passionate about downtowns. They are the resource for anything regarding the vitality of our downtowns and commercial districts in New Jersey. She co-chairs the Program Committee and is a Policy committee member. With Jersey City Economic Development Corporation, Vanessa led the Small Business Services division where she counseled entrepreneurs and small business owners on every aspect of starting, owning and managing a business, including access to capital and understanding the permitting and licensing process to open shop. She established the Jersey City Small Business Services Award program and the Small Business Scavenger Hunt. Previously, Vanessa managed the corporate brand of BASF – The Chemical Company in North America including compliance and training; mergers and acquisitions brand implementation; and launched BASF Kids’ Lab, a sponsored chemistry education for children ages 6-11, at Liberty Science Center. At Engelhard Corporation, she practiced internal communications, marketing communications and public relations as well as produced six award-winning annual reports.