Vanessa Diffenbaugh (she/her) joined HAF in 2024 as VP of Lending. Prior to joining HAF, Vanessa served as an Associate Director of Housing Development for MidPen Housing, where she managed a wide variety of new construction and rehab projects in the Bay Area and on the Central Coast. A former foster parent, adoptive parent, child welfare advocate, and member of the national board of Youth Villages, Vanessa brings a unique lens to her work in housing as well as a deep belief in the transformative power of safe, affordable housing for at-risk individuals and families. She is excited to be part of an innovative team bringing new solutions to housing in the Bay Area and beyond. Vanessa has a B.A. in English and an M.A. in Education from Stanford University. When not working on housing, she can be found reading, writing, and collaborating on books and other creative projects. She is the author of the bestselling novels The Language of Flowers and We Never Asked for Wings.