Vaishnavi is an urban practitioner with 9 years of research and practice experience in the areas of urban resilience and development, participatory planning, heritage conservation and architectural practice. As a Fellow with the Urban Resilience Unit, she anchors the work on knowledge management and capacity building with a focus on embedding resilience into urban planning/ management/ development curricula in addition to carrying out research and supporting communication and policy advocacy. In the past, Vaishnavi has worked with the Mahila Housing SEWA Trust, India Habitat Forum and the Centre for Conservation Studies, CEPT University gaining experience in strengthening community resilience, upgradation of informal housing and revitalization of heritage settlements. Some of the key initiatives anchored by her include 'Socio-Economic Revitalization of Dhal-ni-Pol and Khijada Sheri', Ahmedabad and a pilot on participatory led design and construction of Indira Awaas Yojana housing in Waynad, Kerala.
Vaishnavi is a Chevening Scholar (2016-17) and holds a Master’s degree in 'Urbanization and Development' from the London School of Economics and Political Science and a Bachelor degree in Architecture from the B.M.S College of Engineering, Bangalore.