Vanessa Ferlaino is the two-time award-winning author of “human”, host/producer of “The Human Challenge”, named an Amazon Music and ACAST Indie Podcast Amplifier in December 2023, and President of The Being Human Foundation, an international non-profit inviting us to re-world through community-building and participatory grant-making. Vanessa is also a 200hr Certified Mindfulness Teacher — Professional Level (CMT-P), from The Lab of Meditation, recognized by The International Mindfulness Teacher’s Association. Her training specialized in Social Justice and Trauma-Informed offerings. She offers free mindfulness practices on the Insight Timer app.

Professionally, Vanessa has ten years of experience as an award-winning corporate innovator, venture-builder, and investor. Career highlights include launching an award-winning enterprise investment platform to raise 775K in 36 hours and raising 200K in 3 months for social ventures. Vanessa earned her Honours Bachelor of Science from The University of Toronto, specializing in Neuroscience, Cell and Molecular Biology, and Immunology; and her Masters of Business, Education, and Technology from The University of Waterloo. She offers free business support and mentorship for returning citizens through various organizations.

Vanessa holds numerous board and advisory positions, and is also a Sessional Lecturer at Algoma University, located on the former site of the Shingwauk Indian Residential School. The provincial Shingwauk Education Trust (SET) gives ownership of a portion of the site to Anishinaabek people; Shingwauk Kinoomaage Gamig (SKG), one of nine provincially recognized Indigenous institutes of higher learning, is located on the property, providing academic programs, workshops and seminars reflecting the Anishinaabe worldview, ways of learning, and knowing.

Vanessa is humbled by recognition for her efforts from national and international news outlets, including CTV, CityNews, BoldJourney and many more.