Her Story
About Paola
Paola Vargas-Strassner, MPS, APR, is a bilingual strategic communications and public affairs leader recognized for driving organizational growth through stakeholder engagement, brand development, and data-informed strategies. She began her career more than 20 years ago after earning her bachelor’s degree in Mass Communications in Bogotá, Colombia, where she was raised. Shortly after graduating, she relocated to Central Florida and quickly established herself within the communications and media industry, working with trusted Hispanic networks across print, television, and radio. In these early roles, she served as an account executive, media consultant, and production professional, while also working as an entertainment reporter, event and festival coordinator, and radio DJ host with a prime-time show—demonstrating versatility and innovation at a time when online broadcasting was still emerging.
Driven by a commitment to growth and adaptability, Paola expanded her career across multiple industries while pursuing her long-term goal of working in English-language communications. She contributed to newspaper operations as an assistant editor and marketing manager, producing feature stories and columns, and later transitioned to Washington, D.C., where she continued her professional development. During the 2009 economic crisis, she volunteered with Atlas Corps, supporting Hispanic media outreach and helping expand its global reach, including strengthening engagement within Colombia. Alongside her communications work, she developed strong leadership capabilities through management roles in retail with global brands, and remained deeply committed to community engagement—serving as Secretary on the Board of Directors for the Colombian Chamber of Commerce in San Diego.
After relocating to Baltimore, she paused her career to focus on raising a family while earning her Master of Professional Studies in Strategic Public Relations from The George Washington University. Following graduate school, Paola was selected for a competitive Pathways internship with the Department of Defense’s Defense Media Activity, where her performance extended a short-term opportunity into an 8-month engagement. She joined the Public Relations Society of America in 2017 and has remained an active member and leader across multiple chapters for nearly a decade. Encouraged by her mentor, she earned her Accreditation in Public Relations (APR), the profession’s highest credential, and went on to serve the State of Maryland as a Public Affairs Officer with the Department of Juvenile Services. In that role, she led high-impact communications initiatives, including developing the agency’s first comprehensive communications strategy, significantly increasing digital engagement, and advancing transparency through innovative projects.
A dedicated advocate for language access, she also works as a professional Spanish interpreter, supporting diverse communities with culturally responsive communication. Most recently, Paola stepped away from her public affairs role, focusing on promoting a published anthology in which she is a selected co-author—joining fellow Hispanic communications professionals in sharing stories of resilience and leadership. She is now seeking new opportunities in public relations, public affairs, and communications management, bringing a collaborative mindset, strategic vision, and passion for connecting organizations with the communities they serve.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Paola
01What do you attribute your success to?
I'm a goal-oriented, lifelong learner who doesn't give up easily. I also like to align myself with environments that allow me to grow, because that's an important consideration when you want to continue developing and reaching your maximum potential.
Making sure your environment has the right leadership. There's a difference between leadership and management, and I attribute my success to having great mentors and supportive leaders.
They have inspired me to serve and to speak with transparency, upholding the accountability and standards of a communications professional.
We follow our ethical standards and a code of conduct. We strive to deliver the truth, whether you are a communications professional working for the media and writing for the public, or whether you are in the PR industry and writing on behalf of an organization. We're doing the same thing. In both professions, you still need to uphold the standards of writing with truth and transparency.
I've had great mentorship. At the beginning of my career in Central Florida, I learned from a true leader who founded the first bilingual newspaper for over 25 years. And then, when I went back into the PR and public affairs industry, my mentor was another great leader. Having the capacity to work alongside this type of leadership takes you to the next level. You need to be in an environment that helps you grow and allows you to spread your wings so that you can continue to help others spread their wings, too.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Believe in yourself and reach for the stars. After working with my mentor, who is also now a retired service member, Public Affairs and PRSA fellow, she was really key and vital in helping me through all my professional development in strategic public relations. One of the reasons why I want to continue to do the same for other younger professionals is because of what she did for me. That's one of the things I get from her - believe in yourself. Sometimes we have that imposter syndrome where we don't think we are growing, but it needs to take that internal reflection and believing in ourselves, and then the rest will show. Believe, and also trust the process. And from my father, always reach for the stars, and be disciplined.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Continue to learn and develop professionally. Invest in yourself and in your education. Nobody can take that away from you. If we open a business or a startup, they can be taken away from you, but education will remain with you forever.
To the younger or aspiring PR and communications professionals in the industry, I definitely encourage you to invest in your education and develop your professional skills. Reach out to other professionals who are already where you want to be.
Expand your network, because there are other people who want to support you. There are a lot of women who are empowering other women, and the young professionals just need to reach out to these networks. There are PR networks and communications networks where there are professionals who want to help others. I am in the Public Relations Society of America, and I know there are other associations, like the Public Affairs Council, and so many other networks that want to help aspiring professionals in the industry.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
To be fair, women in PR lead the statistics with 64%, so they're the majority in the industry in the U.S. We're already leading, and there is no disadvantage between men and women when it comes to that. However, there is still a gap in the compensation. I think an opportunity is to measure the work, because if they are leading, it means they have earned these trusted counsel positions, and then the compensation should be equally applied to what they're bringing to their organizations. Many of them are accomplished in their experience and background, but there are no opportunities for them where they can get equal pay compared to their male counterparts. That's definitely an opportunity that I see across the industry.
A challenge I see is continuing to adapt to the evolving media landscape, but that's a given. Those in the PR industry need to keep that in mind, and that's another reason why we want to continue to develop professionally. As media specialists, we obviously need to be at the forefront of all the new technologies, so now we are leveraging AI and the tools, so we need to get on board with that, not only so that we can apply them ethically, but also so that they don't take over our jobs, but we can manage to use them in a responsible way. That goes through continued education.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Ethical standards are most important to me, and I believe this applies both professionally and personally. I strive to be the same person that I am outside as I am inside with my family. With my kids, I can only teach them by example, leading by example. Professionally, I strive to work with mission-aligned organizations that are value-centered, emphasizing honesty, truth, transparency, and upholding our own moral compass and ethical standards.
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