Vanessa Fuentes is working to build an Austin where every resident can access what they need—good jobs, healthy food, quality healthcare, and safe parks—all within their own neighborhood. Since joining City Council in 2021, she's been focused on turning that vision into reality.

She's delivered concrete wins for Austinites: a $22/hour minimum wage for city employees, expanded paid parental leave, and air conditioning requirements for every Austin apartment. Her legislation has tackled displacement prevention, expanded mental health services, helped establish Texas’ first-ever Trauma Recovery Center for crime victims, and brought healthy food options to long underserved neighborhoods.

Vanessa has made housing stability and reducing homelessness a top priority—championing family stabilization grants, supporting rapid rehousing, and investing in services that help people move from crisis to stability with dignity.

She’s worked to ensure Austin’s cultural identity and community spaces are accessible to everyone. She led the initiative to make Austin a soccer city and expand access to public play spaces, established the City's first Poet Laureate, and brought the Dove Springs neighborhood pickup, now one of the most popular ride shuttle services, to southeast Austin.

On environmental and tech policy, she doesn't wait for problems to get worse. She pushed back against fuel tanks near residential areas, fought for better flood mitigation, and launched a flood insurance pilot program for families who couldn't afford coverage. She led the City to adopt its first artificial intelligence standards because new technology needs guardrails.

Vanessa has focused on both ends of the age spectrum. For Austin’s youngest residents, she expanded childcare access, reduced zoning and financial barriers to opening new centers, and brought dual-language, full-day pre-K to the Eastern Crescent. For older adults, she’s passed legislation to improve quality of life and expand meal delivery services. She also launched the Enhanced Library Card, a municipal ID that helps all residents access City services.

Before taking office, Vanessa worked on criminal justice reform at the Texas Capitol and healthcare policy at the American Heart Association. She served as President of the Young Women's Alliance, on the executive team of the Greater Austin Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, and graduated from Leadership Austin's Emerge program.

Raised in Central Texas, Vanessa earned her Bachelor's in Public Relations and Master's in Public Leadership from UT Austin. She's received the National Elected Official Award from the National Association of Social Workers and been named to the National League of Cities Association’s 40 Under 40. She calls Southeast Austin home and enjoys trying new restaurants, hiking, and listening to live music.