Vanessa Willey was born and raised in Wichita, KS.  She received her associate’s degree from Cowley County Community College and bachelor’s degree in Field Studies from Wichita State University.  She started her career in the Intellectual/Developmental Disability (I/DD) world in 2002 at Rainbows United in Wichita, where she started as a Direct Support Professional.  After earning her bachelor’s degree, Vanessa started as a Targeted Case Manager at Rainbows, where she stayed for over ten years.  In 2018, she moved to Aetna as a MCO Service Coordinator for the I/DD population.  In late 2024, Vanessa started as the Assistant Director of the CDDO of Butler County.  She is excited to continue to serve the I/DD population in this new capacity.

When not at the CDDO, Vanessa also works part-time at the Sedgwick County Zoo in the education department and volunteers as a Court Appointed Special Advocate (CASA) for children in foster care.  She enjoys spending time with her family and friends, finding any animal experiences in the community or while traveling, and is an avid listener to national public radio.