pro
Vanessa Childers
essayist. author. editorial director.
New to Contra
Vanessa is ready for their next project!
![Cover image for [DEBUT MEMOIR] Touks Made Me](https://media.contra.com/image/upload/w_1100,q_auto/qxwe3naimcwxkgoc63nv.avif)
[DEBUT MEMOIR] Touks Made Me Write This: Author of a weird millennial fever-dream memoir-in-essays about rediscovering the maximalist, diary-soaked voice of my analog girlhood on LinkedIn, of all places. Forthcoming with Gremlin Books.
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26
[WEB COPY + SQUARESPACE DESIGN] Wrote and designed my portfolio website in completion.
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27
Led a full website rewrite (homepage, product pages, positioning, and voice system) for Speed & Function, a performance-driven technology brand, turning dense, technical concepts into language that feels clear, credible, and human — while establishing a scalable voice foundation for future brand and product evolution.
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60
![Cover image for [DIGITAL ADVERTORIAL] Denver DerbyParty: Captured](https://media.contra.com/image/upload/w_1100,q_auto/y4rqbnmgzkojnyavyyhj.avif)
[DIGITAL ADVERTORIAL] Denver DerbyParty: Captured how a beloved Mile High City tradition blends style with substance — raising meaningful support for local causes while building community far beyond the celebration itself.
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27
Led the final print issue of Conscious Company, reframing purpose as more than a mission statement but a practical model for positive impact.
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Spearheaded Conscious Company’s first Racial Equity issue, examining how equity intersects with business — and why it’s both a moral and strategic imperative.
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Led the World-Changing Women issue, exploring how undervalued traits like intuition, empathy, relational intelligence can be powerful tools in leadership.
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75
Established editorial standards around capitalizing “Black” and “White,” grounding language decisions in history, respect, and clarity.
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36
Examined Simon Sinek’s challenge to shareholder-first capitalism, unpacking a new paradigm that places people, purpose, and long-term value creation at the center of business strategy.
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Designed and led an editorial framework for identifying 22 leaders advancing conscious business — moving beyond popularity or optics to focus on systems-level impact and sustained leadership.
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40
![Cover image for [PRINT + DIGITAL ADVERTORIAL] Kate](https://media.contra.com/image/upload/w_1100,q_auto/emmfayzv3qobeddba7p2.avif)
[PRINT + DIGITAL ADVERTORIAL] Kate Spade, On Purpose: Unpacked how Kate Spade New York’s social enterprise work empowers women artisans and strengthens communities — revealing the real systems, relationships, and impact behind a globally recognized brand.
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![Cover image for [PRINT + DIGITAL EDITORIAL] The](https://media.contra.com/image/upload/w_1100,q_auto/jvyzjf0zspzutu0moosz.avif)
[PRINT + DIGITAL EDITORIAL] The Healing Organization: Explored how businesses can move beyond profit to become spaces for genuine healing and growth — where workplace culture, leadership, and human well-being are treated as strategic priorities, not perks.
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Explored how one restaurateur transformed workplace culture — confronting sexual harassment head-on and redefining what accountability can look like in practice.
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25
Chronicled how Lynn Jurich built a $3B solar company by defying odds with grit, clarity, and long-range vision.
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Examined how Burton’s CEO transformed women’s leadership at the company — and what it looks like to build a more inclusive, empowered workplace from the top down.
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25
Featured a founder reframing conscious leadership as an inside-out practice — where personal alignment, clarity, and inner discipline become catalysts for real business impact.
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Curated and led a multi-platform feature spotlighting 43 women reshaping conscious business — framing leadership through impact, systems change, and long-term value rather than traditional power metrics.
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