Executive Director

Vanessa Hickmon is the Executive Director of the Family Resource Center South Atlantic in Raleigh, North Carolina, where she leads with purpose, vision, and unwavering faith. For more than 30 years she has championed child welfare, family services, and community-based programs, guided by her belief that “If you put God first—pray, believe—the unimaginable can happen.”

A native of Paterson, New Jersey, Vanessa grew up as the oldest of seven children in challenging circumstances that shaped her deep empathy for families in need. Determined to break barriers, she became the first in her family to attend college and is a proud graduate of historic Shaw University.

Vanessa began her career with Wake County Health & Human Services, supporting fatherless children, survivors of domestic violence, families experiencing homelessness, and those affected by mental health challenges, foster care, adoption, and kinship care.

The Family Resource Center is home to the North Carolina Fatherhood Conference and the Day-to-Day Dads program, signature initiatives that emphasize responsible fatherhood. Additional programs such as: Preserving the Roots Kinship Support, Families First, Community Recovery Project, HIPPY, and Second Chance make the Center a critical resource for families navigating crisis, poverty, and major life transitions.

Above all, Vanessa is a devoted mother, sister, new grandmother, and a steadfast advocate for giving back. Her life’s work reflects a personal journey of perseverance and faith, turning early hardships into a lifelong mission to strengthen children, families, and the community she loves.