Vanessa Cloke Dimitropoulos, a multifaceted individual, has navigated a life of transformation, from her early days as an actor to her current role as a dedicated advocate for reforming psychological and emotional abuse laws.
Born in Paramount, California, Vanessa grew up with a passion for the arts, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Chapman University. She then embarked on a journey of entrepreneurship, founding a children's dance company in San Diego, which flourished with a student base of 300.
In her quest for new experiences, Vanessa relocated to Rota, Spain, where she worked as a Library Technician and frequently traveled. She later moved to New Orleans, just days after Hurricane Katrina, and seized the opportunity to pursue her childhood dream of working in the film and television industry.
In New Orleans, Vanessa worked at Cineworks post-production facility, started a successful video audition taping service and demo reel company, Shoot My Reel, and produced two web-series and a short film, which won Best Drama at the Louisiana International Film Festival.
Before departing New Orleans for Los Angeles during the Oscar nomination and win of The Big Short, Vanessa continued to produce content, including a documentary and a media company focused on narcissistic abuse. When not working on her various projects, Vanessa dedicates her time to studying generational trauma, facilitating support groups, and practicing the martial arts form Krav Maga.
Vanessa's advocacy began after a traumatic experience of narcissistic abuse, which left her without support and with a laundry list of symptoms including PTSD. She believes that psychological abuse laws need to be treated with the same criminal prosecution as physical and sexual abuse and is working to reform these laws in the United States, inspired by the progressive reforms implemented in the UK, France, Ireland, and Scotland.
With her diverse background and experiences, Vanessa is a testament to the power of resilience and determination, using her platform to support survivors of narcissistic abuse and contribute to ending the cycle of trauma and abuse.
