Ashley A. Vargas, MS
Ashley A. Vargas, MS, is the Senior Associate Director of Fire & Life Safety at Barnard College in New York City. With over a decade of experience in fire safety, emergency management, and security management, she has dedicated her career to ensuring the safety and preparedness of high-occupancy, complex institutional environments. Ashley specializes in directing real-time emergency operations, building code enforcement, life safety risk mitigation, and regulatory compliance, bringing a strategic and hands-on approach to protecting communities and campus populations.
Her career in emergency management began unexpectedly in a seasonal role at Yankee Stadium, where she quickly advanced to a supervisory position. This early exposure to security management sparked her interest in emergency management, leading her to pursue both a Bachelor of Science in Security Management and a Master of Science in Emergency Management from John Jay College of Criminal Justice. Along the way, she completed a partnership with the FBI Citizens Academy and earned recognition as Staff Member of the Year, reflecting her leadership, dedication, and impact in public safety.
Ashley is a passionate advocate for transparent communication, camaraderie, and respect in the workplace. She mentors the next generation of professionals, particularly women entering this traditionally male-dominated field, encouraging them to seek knowledge, embrace growth, and leverage mentorship. Her professional philosophy emphasizes continuous learning, collaboration, and proactive emergency preparedness, guiding her team and community to a safer, more resilient future.
• FBI Citizens Academy Partnership
• Staff Member of the Year Award
• HAZWOPER/RCRA Trained
• NYSDCJS Unarmed Security Guard Instructor
• CPR/AED/First Aid Instructor
• John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Master of Science (MS), Emergency Management
• John Jay College of Criminal Justice, Bachelor of Science (BS), Security Management
• Staff Member of the Year
• Staff Excellence Award
• FBI Citizens Academy Alumni
• Fire and Life Safety Director Association (former member)
• Cristadora (environmental science and community service program at New York Botanical Gardens)
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to being a hard worker and staying passionate about what I do. Communication is huge for me - especially in this field where the absence of information can breed panic. I've improved communication here at my job, particularly regarding emergencies, because everyone at the college wanted more transparency. Camaraderie is another big value because in public safety, we have to not only trust our coworkers but lean on them, especially in high-intensity emergencies. And respect is always important - we're expected to respect the community we serve, and we expect that same respect in return. Being open to learning something new every day has been key because if we're not learning, we're not growing. I also believe in being open to ask questions and lean on more experienced people in the field, and being able to admit when you don't know something.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I've received is to keep an open mind and allow opportunities to find you. Don't stay so closed in your field - try to widen your opportunities. Especially in emergency management, there are a lot of different options you can take. Instead of maybe focusing only on emergency management, you can broaden your horizons to include property management as well. Keeping a wide range of skills has been really valuable advice for me.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I would say always be open to receive more information. I'm big on learning something every day, and if we're not learning, we're not growing. Be open to learn more, be open to grow, and don't be afraid to ask questions and actually lean on others, especially if they are more experienced. I find that a lot of people in this field do want to share our information and potentially mentor someone. Being open to ask for that help and being able to admit if you don't know something is really important - and understanding that that's okay.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
The biggest opportunity I see is getting more women into this field. It's very male-dominated, and when I first started at Yankee Stadium, I noticed there weren't many women working in fire safety and security management. That's actually what sparked my interest initially. I would like to highlight the field and reach out to more women so they can potentially come into emergency management and public safety as well.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
My top three core values are communication, camaraderie, and respect. I'm very big on transparent communication - especially in this field where the absence of information can breed panic. I've improved communication here at my job at the college, particularly regarding emergencies. Camaraderie is crucial because in public safety, we have to not only trust our coworkers but lean on them, especially in high-intensity emergencies. And respect is always important for standard reasons - we're expected to respect the community we serve, and we expect that same respect in return. Being a hard worker is fundamental to who I am, and I was honored to be named Staff Member of the Year, an award my coworkers nominated me for, which really meant a lot.