Our Mission
Cultivating thriving workplaces and opportunities for all people through vocation and community development.
The Nitty Gritty
Our Values
Equity ensures everyone can access the same treatment, opportunities, and advancement.
Belonging intentionally makes space for each individual to be needed and valued.
Community is people who are inextricably drawn together and need to work toward supporting one another.
We cannot have true Equity, Belonging, and Community without empowering members of these groups to thrive:
Health Disparities
LGBTQIA+ and Gender Inequity
Ageism
Former Incarceration
Human Trafficking
Childhood Trauma
Insecure Housing & Subsistence
Economic Disadvantage
Racial Injustice & Displacement
Our STAFF
The people behind the magic
Director, Community DEVELOPMENT
Jen Pool
Jen is a Northern Virginia native. She spent the first 10 years of her career in the telecommunications industry and the last 10 in the non-profit sector. She is also an ACE (Adverse Childhood Experiences) Certified Trainer and is Mental Health First Aid certified.
In her free time, she serves on the board for two other non-profits. She’s a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, a mom of two, and an avid reader.
Director, Vocation & Well—Being
Kim van Essen
A resident of Richmond, VA, Kim comes to V&FT after 6 years as an entrepreneur in the UX business. A Justice Studies graduate of James Madison University (go Dukes!), she has also worked in education and non-profits.
In addition to continuing her studies in the Masters of Education in Culturally Responsive Leadership program at Virginia Commonwealth University, Kim enjoys her roles as wife and mom to two children.
Our board of directors
President of the Board:
Kim van Essen
Director of Vocation & Well-being
Vice President of the Board:
Jen Pool
Director of Community Development
ADVISORY BOARD
Financial Advisor:
Gavin Long
Treasurer:
Mike Clark
Chief Strategy Officer, BTI360
Secretary:
Steven Garber
Senior Fellow, The M.J. Murdock Charitable Trust
Foster Care Advisor:
Adrianna Boyer
