Vanessa Brown Claiborne, CPA/ABV, ASA, is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Chaffe & Associates, Inc., a leading valuation and financial advisory firm serving business owners, attorneys, financial sponsors, and professional advisors throughout the Gulf South and beyond. Vanessa specializes in complex business valuation and financial advisory services for estate and gift tax planning, shareholder transactions and corporate planning.
As President and CEO, Vanessa provides strategic leadership for the firm while remaining actively involved in client engagements. She is known for her ability to translate complex valuation issues into practical insights that support informed decision-making for clients and their advisors.
In addition to her professional practice, Vanessa is deeply involved in civic and nonprofit leadership across the New Orleans region. She currently serves in leadership and board roles with organizations including Chair of The Business Council of New Orleans and the River Region, and on the Boards of the Greater New Orleans Foundation, Agenda for Children and the Bureau of Governmental Research. Her community involvement reflects a longstanding commitment to economic development, education, and philanthropic leadership.
Vanessa is a frequent speaker at regional and national conferences on topics such as business valuation, estate and succession planning, shareholder disputes, M&A trends, and tax planning strategies. She has been widely recognized for her professional and civic contributions, including honors from CityBusiness, Biz New Orleans, the Louisiana Society of CPAs, and Junior Achievement. Ms. Claiborne is active in many professional organizations including the American Society of Appraisers, Association for Corporate Growth, New Orleans Estate Planning Council and the LCPA. She holds a Master of Business Administration from the University of Texas in Austin and a Bachelor of Science in Business from Trinity University.