Our Network

Profile picture of Vanessa Rhinesmith

Vanessa Rhinesmith

Executive Director | UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry (C2i2)

Vanessa Rhinesmith is Executive Director of the UCLA Center for Critical Internet Inquiry, a critical internet studies community committed racial, social, and economic justice via a mix of research, culture, and policy. Vanessa is also Chief of Staff to author, scholar, and non profit founder Dr. Safiya Noble. Vanessa started her career as a social worker in Chicago before transitioning to work centered in purpose, community, and care in relation to intersectional feminism, harm reduction, and technology and society. She received her MBA from Simmons School of Management at Simmons University in Boston with a focus on organizational behavior. She speaks, and facilitates conversations, on a variety of topics that include community-centered approaches to data and digital technology; activism, advocacy, and stewardship; and application of feminist approaches to public policy and international relations.

Vanessa Rhinesmith served as an External Evaluator for the 2022 Just Tech Fellowship.