Vanessa Threatte was appointed to the position of Executive Director for the Council on Children and Families in August 2022.  Prior to coming to the Council, Vanessa was Assistant Deputy Chief Operating Officer at the State University of New York working on campus-related projects and initiatives. Vanessa worked at SUNY for nine years where she served in a variety of capacities including Executive Deputy Director for Best Practices and Partnerships for SUNY’s Charter School Institute and Executive Director of SUNY’s New York State Cradle to Career Alliance. Her efforts were focused on strengthening New York’s education pipeline by improving outcomes for students from birth, through college, and to career. Vanessa has experience providing strategic guidance, technical assistance services, facilitation, and a wide range of support to communities and leaders across the state and country engaged in education efforts. She brings her leadership and education experience as a charter school founder, and her work as a classroom teacher, administrator, and principal, where she worked to ensure the quality of educational experiences for high-risk, high-need populations. Additionally, she brings her understanding of social, emotional, and mental health needs from her training as an art therapist and her work with children and adults with a variety of special needs.

Vanessa received her Bachelor of Arts degree from Dartmouth College, a Master of Arts in Art Therapy degree from the School of the Art Institute of Chicago, and dual Master of Science degrees in both Special Education and Literacy from the University at Albany.

Contact us by phone: (518) 473-3652

Contact us by email: council@ccf.ny.gov