Vanessa Bassett has always felt a special kinship with animals. A certified cat-lady, she is happiest caring for pets, farm animals, wildlife, and of course, horses. Vanessa grew up in the Pacific Northwest, earned a BFA in Apparel Design from RISD, and spent most of her professional career as a fashion designer in New York. She lived in rural Ireland for three years, raising cows and caring for a neighbor’s herd of 8+ horses. Her first equine rescue was a severely neglected donkey named Charlie; gaining his trust and nursing him back to health and happiness was an incredible learning experience. After returning to Seattle, Vanessa joined a chore shift at SAFE in 2022. She took advantage of every opportunity to fill in on shifts, audit clinics, take classes, and learn from the people and horses around her. Vanessa served as a Shift Lead, then Barn Assist, and was recognized as Volunteer of the Month. She joined the Barn Staff in August 2025. Vanessa is passionate about SAFE’s mission, supporting the horses and community at SAFE, and continuing to grow in her horsemanship.
