Mrs. Vargas was born in Bronx, New York from Puerto Rican parents in 1965. Relocated
to Puerto Rico in 1972, she lived her childhood in Hatillo with her family. She obtained her
Bachelor Degree in Science with a Major in Community Health Education from the University of
Puerto Rico in 1990. That same year she had her first experience as a Health Education
Professional and Community Organizer in the University of Puerto Rico, Arecibo campus,
creating a Peer to Peers Program for community leaders and middle school students from 7
municipalities of the North Region, for the HIV Prevention Program. Soon after, in 1992, she
was contracted as a Pediatric AIDS Health Educator with the Puerto Rico Health Department.
She created seminars, workshops, health fairs, developing health education materials and
health educational activities for professionals such as: school nurses, social workers, teachers
and assistants, preschool specialists, university students, universities professional faculties and
general audiences covering 14 municipalities of the Northeast Region.
Still under the Puerto Rico Health Department, she also had the opportunity to
participate as a Clinical Health Educator in HIV Clinical trials in Ramon Ruiz Arnau University
Hospital at Bayamon, P.R. and obtained recognition for creating a successful peers program for
the Vega Alta Female Correctional Institution. By 1994 she got certified as HIV Preventive
Counseling Instructor Trainer by the CDC in Atlanta, Georgia; and HIV Instructor Trainer by the
American Red Cross.
In 1997 she change from the Puerto Rico Health Department to the Puerto Rico’s Health
Insurance Administration where she worked as a Health Education Specialist and as a
Compliance Officer, evaluating Health Education and Preventive Medicine Programs offered by
health insurance companies as part of a contractual requirement under the Government Health
Insurance Plan. In 1999 received the National Certification as Health Education Specialist from
the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing demonstrating her competence
and commitment as a Health Education Professional. She obtained her Master degree in Public
Health Education at the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Science Campus, Graduated School
of Public Health by 2006. Relocated to West Palm Beach in 2007, she became a mother and
went in a sabbatical. Mrs. Vargas was awarded in 2010 with the Master Certification in Health
Education Specialist, which indicates advanced-level knowledge and skills in the Health
Education field demonstrating once again her commitment to the advancement of the health
education profession and continuing professional development.
