How students can develop leadership skills, build a professional reputation, and strengthen their networks by identifying a need within their law school community and taking a concrete step to address it.
Her Story
About Alexxa
Alexxa Aponte Vargas is a driven healthcare administration leader currently serving as Director of Administrative Operations for the Department of Anesthesiology at Hospital Auxilio Mutuo in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where she oversees contracting, billing, and day-to-day departmental operations while supporting a team of eight anesthesiologists. Since stepping into the role after transitioning from a background in consulting, she has led the digitization of the department's workflows, moving core processes from paper-based systems to fully digital platforms in just a matter of months. Her career path also includes prior experience with the U.S. Department of Defense, Congress, the Government Services division of BDO USA (formerly HORNE LLP), and the Office of the Chief Justice of the Puerto Rico Supreme Court, reflecting a professional history rooted in public service, legal insight, and operational leadership. Alongside her administrative role, Alexxa is pursuing a dual JD/MBA at the University of Puerto Rico, Río Piedras, having completed two years of the program with two remaining, and holds a Bachelor's degree in International Affairs from The George Washington University. She currently serves as Class President for the UPR Law School Class of 2028, where she leads a twelve-member executive board, has organized dozens of academic and professional events for her cohort, and has helped raise thousands of dollars in class funds through strategic fundraising initiatives. Her academic experience also includes a selective seminar at Columbia Law School focused on corporate decision-making in the global economy, further sharpening her legal and business acumen. Beyond her professional and academic pursuits, Alexxa is the co-founder of Team Barea, a Puerto Rico-based nonprofit basketball foundation where she used to manage social media and community education efforts. She is a vocal advocate for work-life integration, crediting her current role with offering her the flexibility to balance ambitious career goals with personal life in a way that felt unattainable in prior high-pressure environments. Through her leadership, mentorship, and community involvement, Alexxa continues to model a sustainable, values-driven path for the next generation of professionals entering both the legal and healthcare administration fields.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Alexxa
01What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Don't try to find where you fit in. Find what fits you.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
It's going to be tough in the beginning, because the politics here are different from corporate politics, it's a different world to navigate. I'd encourage anyone starting out to use their first few weeks and months in the industry to absorb, ask questions, and understand what's happening around them. I'd also say yes to opportunities until they become options: save your 'no' for when you actually have a choice in front of you, and then decide what's best for you. Don't count yourself out in advance simply because you feel you lack experience.
03What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Integrating advanced technologies in fields with high data security requirements and a low tolerance for change can be challenging, but ensuring individuals know the "why" behind innovations and are equipped with the right tools for successful implementation allow for ample growth for and within corporations.
04What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
I'm passionate about bridging business strategy and legal insight to create meaningful, impactful solutions. I bring a collaborative and analytical approach to every challenge I take on, and I'm committed to continuous growth and to creating value across every sector I work in.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Alexxa
Lead Before You Have the Title: How Law Students Can Turn Unmet Needs into Community and Career Opportunities
Leadership Begins with Noticing What's Missing and Taking Action
Lead Before You Have the Title: How Law Students Can Turn Unmet Needs into Community and Career Opportunities
Leadership in law school does not begin when someone gives you a title. It begins when you notice that something is missing and decide to help.
As an evening JD/MBA candidate and Class President at the University of Puerto Rico School of Law, I have seen how easily nontraditional students can be left outside the life of a campus. Evening students often balance classes with full-time employment, family responsibilities, and other commitments. Yet extracurricular programming is frequently scheduled during the workday or at the same time as their evening classes. Students may technically be invited, but the timing makes meaningful participation impossible.
Creating spaces for leadership development should therefore begin with listening. Who is not participating, and why? Are part-time and evening students being offered programming at feasible times? Do events reflect their interests and professional needs?
Inclusion is not simply about extending an invitation. It requires designing opportunities that people can realistically access.
After recognizing this gap on our campus, I helped organize an academic and professional event on a Saturday that ran from morning through the afternoon. It included a job fair with five law firms and tribunals, as well as three academic and professional panels: “Puerto Rico’s Development Through Graduate Studies on the Island,” “Law and Entertainment: Puerto Rico and the Music Industry,” and “Surrogacy and In Vitro Fertilization in Puerto Rico.”
Scheduling the program on a Saturday allowed both evening and traditional students to participate in events they might otherwise have missed. Evening students told us how grateful they were to attend an extracurricular event that accommodated their schedules. Professors asked that the programming be repeated.
The initiative also brought greater attention to the needs and interests of evening students. The experience taught me that building a personal brand is not primarily about promoting yourself. It is about becoming associated with a contribution: a problem you helped address, knowledge you shared, or a community you strengthened.
Taking initiative also created new relationships for me with faculty members, administrators, and professionals working in career development and academia. Those relationships grew from working toward a shared purpose, not from networking for its own sake.
Students do not have to solve a campus-wide problem alone or begin with an elaborate program. When you notice a gap, brainstorm possible solutions, determine what support you would need, and ask whether you can start small and scale from there.
Pay knowledge forward. Something you learned during an advising meeting may benefit your classmates. A weakness you noticed at a student event may point to an opportunity to improve the next one.
Effective leadership also requires studying yourself as if you were observing another person. What are your strengths? Where do you need support? What opportunities fit your interests and abilities?
Through that kind of honest reflection, I recognized that I needed to listen more, delegate more, and meet people where they are instead of insisting that everything be done my way. That realization made me a better leader and collaborator.
Even if you are not ready to accept another major responsibility, stay informed about organizations, events, and opportunities on campus. When something aligns with your skills or interests, do not wait until you hold the perfect position to contribute.
One of the greatest mistakes students make is waiting to be recognized before taking action. Reverse that order: take purposeful action, and then seek recognition for the work so its impact can grow.
Your initiative can open doors to conversations, relationships, and professional opportunities that would otherwise remain inaccessible.
Students can build leadership, community, and a professional reputation before holding a formal title. The first step is to identify an unmet need and take one concrete step toward addressing it.
Join Influential Women and start making an impact. Register now.