Vanessa Buenrostro

Vanessa is a South Oxnard, California native with a strong commitment to environmental and social justice. She earned her B.S. in Environmental Science with minors in Spanish and Computer Information Systems from California Lutheran University. Her interdisciplinary academic background reflects a deep interest in the intersection of science, technology, and equity. Vanessa's research focuses on air quality, with a particular emphasis on carbon dioxide and its role in climate and public health. She has explored these topics through both academic inquiry and applied work, including a white paper she co-authored on direct air capture technology and its socioenvironmental implications, developed in collaboration with Restore the Delta and a network of environmental science professionals. She has also cultivated a diverse range of experiences through her work with nonprofit organizations that address environmental and social injustices, particularly those impacting farmworker communities in Ventura County. Her public sector experience includes serving as a Public Service Intern with the County of Ventura’s Sustainability Division and as an Energy Justice Intern with the U.S. Department of Energy, where she contributed to advancing equitable energy solutions. Vanessa’s long-term career aspirations lie in public service either at the federal or local level where she hopes to influence policy and create systemic change. She also plans to establish a nonprofit dedicated to supporting high school students from low-income communities in excelling within STEM disciplines.