My IRC Life features incredible stories of people who make up the heart and soul of the International Rescue Committee. Come with us on a journey as we explore everyday lived experiences of the people who work at the IRC—their journeys of how they got here, career lessons, challenges and more.

Vanessa Villon is a financial loan officer who’s been working at the IRC for more than 12 years. Vanessa sat down with us and shared her experiences growing up in a tough environment, overcoming academic challenges and ultimately finding a profound sense of belonging at the IRC. Discover how a caring and supportive community not only helped Vanessa flourish professionally but also personally in a profound way. Keep reading below for highlights from our conversation or listen to our full conversation in our podcast here:

Vanessa's early years and introduction to the IRC:

Vanessa shares her early struggles, starting work at 17 to help her mom, and her journey through six different high schools. Despite challenges, she became the valedictorian of her college class, landing an internship that introduced her to the IRC.

“I started working at 17 years old to help my mom pay for the bills, making $5.25 an hour. Growing up in the projects, our school system didn’t offer what I needed in terms of development and growth. I ended up going to six different high schools and was not performing well academically and found myself struggling. I was trying to figure out what I really wanted to do with my life. I knew I wanted to be in management, but I didn’t how to get there.

“…Being in an environment where you feel that sometimes the school system is not well versed to what we need at that time, you're seeking different avenues, and that I was doing at a young age.”

“Luckily, playing basketball taught me how to be disciplined at a young age. I finally decided to go back to college and ended up graduating valedictorian of my class of 200. That is when I got introduced to the IRC through an internship. I was very nervous starting at the IRC because it was my first official office job working in something I didn’t know much about. However, I found the IRC to be a very supportive workplace that really cared about their people and somewhere I wanted to be.”

“I never experienced anything like that in previous employment. And then when it happened to me, I was like, oh, my goodness, this company cares about their people.”

Finding support through difficult times:

Vanessa recalls a personally challenging time during her tenure at the IRC and how she found support and understanding, without compromising her career endeavors and ambitions.

“My mother ended up passing away before COVID and it was a very trying time for me. During that time, I had signed up to run for my second term as ambassador for our culture champion group, but I was nervous I wasn’t going to be able to show up the way I wanted to. My colleagues at the IRC showed me a lot of care and sympathy, encouraging me to take extra time and breaks, and even sending me flowers.

‘Even when I took a leave of absence and came back, they kept checking in to see if I still wanted to continue participating as an ambassador. They created a total safe space for me to step down if I wanted to, but also allowed me freedom and provided support when I told them that this is something I actually wanted to pursue. With the support of my manager and colleagues, I was able to succeed in that role.”

Vanessa as our IRC Cultural Ambassador for 2019

IRC as a second home: acceptance and support

Vanessa describes her friendships with her colleagues at the IRC, which has enabled her to connect in ways she didn’t expect from a traditional workplace.

“I've always come from a background of a very supportive family. I know a lot of workplaces talk about “being a family” but that word is used so loosely. But at the IRC, I truly feel like it has become my second home. Every morning I come into the office, I say hi to “Ross the Boss,” which is what I call the security guard downstairs. Every day we say hello and exchange some laughs. I feel a sense of community and it feels great to feel that connection and friendly atmosphere.”

“And at the IRC, they know they can't be your immediate family, but they can be your second home—and that's what they provide. So they give you, like, a safe haven.”

“IRC has in a way given me a safe haven. It was during my tenure at the IRC I actually came out, and I married my wife in 2019. We even walked in the Pride Parade that year. It felt so amazing knowing that I worked somewhere I felt completely comfortable and supported, being open about my relationship and who I was and that I loved my wife. My colleagues were totally supportive and welcoming. I never felt judged or out of place, and it’s because of the atmosphere and culture that the IRC provides.”

Vanessa and her wife Jasmine at the Pride Parade

Published: Feb 12th 2024