Vanessa Drake is the founder of Power Viso and creator of the Corporate Power Index (CPI), a groundbreaking framework that helps organizations uncover and accelerate the advancement of high-potential leaders—particularly women, people of color, and talent often overlooked outside the “usual circle.” Through a data-driven and human-centered approach, she equips companies with strategies to increase executive visibility, strengthen sponsorship, and expand influence across leadership pipelines.

Vanessa’s career began in advocacy and anti-human trafficking policy, where she studied the role of visibility and erasure in shaping opportunity. She quickly recognized that the same patterns limiting marginalized communities were also operating within boardrooms and corporate cultures—quietly determining who received mentorship, promotion, and access to decision-making spaces.

Power Viso was built to change that dynamic. By measuring the real drivers of advancement—Visibility, Sponsorship & Networks, Influence, Narrative Control, and Board Readiness—the Corporate Power Index transforms insight into action. Vanessa’s work helps organizations retain top talent, diversify leadership, protect against institutional knowledge loss, and ultimately increase return on investment.

Vanessa earned her master’s degree in psychology from Harvard University, where she deepened her expertise in human behavior, organizational dynamics, and leadership development. A passionate advocate for equity and organizational transformation, she is redefining how companies identify and empower the leaders of tomorrow.