2016 Author-in-Residence

Vanessa is the New York Times bestselling author of The Language of Flowers & We Never Asked for Wings. She was born in San Francisco and raised in Chico, California. After graduating from Stanford University, she worked in the non-profit sector, teaching art and technology to youth in low-income communities. Following the success of her debut novel, The Language of Flowers, she co-founded Camellia Network (now Lifeset Network), a non-profit whose mission is to connect every youth aging out of foster care to the critical resources, opportunities, and support they need to thrive in adulthood. She lives in Monterey, CA, with her husband and children. VanessaDiffenbaugh.com.