Vanessa Puniak M.A. Intercultural Program Manager

Vanessa is a skilled diversity and cross-cultural communication consultant and trainer, having conducted over 500 workshops in the U.S. and abroad for industry and non-governmental organizations. She holds a M.A. Intercultural Communication from California State University, San Francisco, B.A. in Public Relations, and has undertaken graduate anthropology studies at the University of Dakar, Senegal. She develops country-specific business seminars, leadership and teambuilding programs, is a Dispute Resolutions Mediator, and is Adjunct Faculty for National University in San Diego, California where she teaches intercultural communication.

Vanessa managed Charis' successful intercultural communication programs for a high tech start-up in Costa Rica 1997-98, with training for over 400 employees in Costa Rica and the U.S. She developed and facilitated a monthly spouse network for expatriate spouses in Costa Rica, enhancing their cultural adjustment for the challenges of start-up phase. Her first hand experience in Southeast Asia is key to her dynamic delivery of training programs on Malaysia, Singapore, and the Philippines. She has also facilitated Charis' Passport Europe: Germany, France, United Kingdom programs at Etec Systems.

An avid world traveler, she has developed businesses in Thailand, worked with Pacific Rim delegates in Canada, and escorted U.S.A.I.D. participants from 16 countries while on business in the U.S. Cross-cultural immersion is her way of life, as she has lived / worked / traveled in 47 countries throughout Central America, Asia, Africa, Europe and the Pacific. She is chronicling these experiences in her new book which focuses on strategies for solo women travelers. Vanessa has a working knowledge of Spanish and French.