Vannessa Dorantes has dedicated more than 30 years of her career to advancing human services and transforming public child welfare systems with vision, integrity, and compassion.
She’s currently managing director of strategic consulting and systems improvement at Casey Family Programs, where she works to improve outcomes for children and families nationwide.
Previously, she served as Commissioner of the Connecticut Department of Children and Families (DCF) and chaired The Governor’s Kids Cabinet — advising on conditions, strategies and outcomes related to the wellbeing of state’s children. Vannessa also co-chaired Connecticut’s Alcohol & Drug Policy Council and the Governor’s Council on Women & Girls.
During her three-decade tenure with DCF, Vannessa held every position in the department’s social work job class. As a DCF regional administrator, she oversaw 43 municipalities which lead to her 2019 appointment as Commissioner managing a department budget of $868M and 3,200 staff. Vannessa also participated in several federal public policy roundtables, including one with the Vice President of the United States and U.S. Education Secretary in 2021, and testified before The New York Advisory Committee to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights in 2023 as an expert witness in Child Welfare.
Vannessa earned her BA in psychology from Teikyo Post University, and an MSW from UConn SSW, focusing on casework and community organizing. She worked on this degree while employed at the DCF.
“The UCONN SSW MSW program was special because it allowed me to take courses while continuing to work at DCF. This allowed for a full integration between theory and practice,” she says. “The professors were exceptional and my advisor, Dr. Patricia Henry-Hensley, was instrumental in setting high expectations for the seriousness of our profession and that the work we were embarking upon should not be taken lightly.”
As a student, Vannessa says her most impactful field practicum was at the Clifford Beer Child Guidance Clinic in New Haven, Connecticut.
“Working directly with children and parents in a clinical setting was invaluable as I would later work within systems that would refer to community-based organizations serving these same vulnerable populations,” she says.
Vannessa served as an adjunct professor at Central Connecticut State University from 2004 until her appointment as Commissioner. She holds a certification in supervision and field instruction, has mentored countless undergraduate and graduate level interns while teaching several elective and core competency social work courses. At UConn, she served as a member of UConn School of Social Work Board of Advocates, Dean search committee, and honored as commencement speaker twice for her alma mater. In 2026, she was honored with the SSW’s Lifetime Achievement Award for making significant long-term contributions to the field of social work.
Currently, Vannessa is a member of the Board of Directors of the Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) as well as the American Public Human Services Association (APHSA) where she has chaired the National Association of Public Child Welfare Administrators (NAPCWA). She remains civically involved in her local community as a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated and The Links, Incorporated.
Learn more about Vannessa’s work on these national news casts:
NBC’s The TODAY SHOW (2022) and NBC News with Lester Holt (2023)