Planned Parenthood Congratulates Vanessa Gonzalez-Plumhoff on Her 2015 Latino Trendsetter Award

New York, NY ─ Planned Parenthood Federation of America Director of Latino Leadership and Engagement Vanessa Gonzalez-Plumhoff has been named a 2015 Latino Trendsetter by Latin TRENDS magazine in recognition of her  work with the Latino community and inspiring a new generation of forward-thinking men and women. She’ll be honored at a reception in New York on February 3.

“We at Planned Parenthood are so grateful for the tremendous work Vanessa Gonzalez-Plumhoff has done to help improve Latinos’ access to health care,” said Planned Parenthood Federation of America President Cecile Richards. “From helping inform Latinos about the Affordable Care Act to her work to deepen our relationship with members of Latino communities across the country, Latino-serving institutions, and advocates, Vanessa works every day to make a difference in the lives and health of Latinos across the country.  This award is a richly deserved acknowledgment of her leadership within Planned Parenthood and her community.”

“I am honored to receive this award and to be an advocate for my community,” Vanessa Gonzalez-Plumhoff said. “I’m so proud of the opportunity I have at Planned Parenthood to serve my community and help provide important information so they can have greater access to the care we all need. I hope to continue to work to ensure that all women and their families have the information, education, and care they need to make personal medical decisions. I’m proud to stand with an organization that has a history of providing care to our community, no matter what.”

Planned Parenthood is proud to serve more than 575,000 Latinos at our health centers across the country each year. Since joining Planned Parenthood in 2012, Vanessa has spearheaded Planned Parenthood’s major campaign to educate and inform Latinos about the ACA, which provided 715,000 Latinos across the country with information on their new options for more affordable health insurance during the first enrollment period. To help Planned Parenthood affiliates deepen relationships with the community in five states with the highest Latino population in the country, she co-created the Raíz Outreach Program, a grassroots organizing program reaching the Latino community in English and Spanish with the information and civic engagement skills to help them access the health care they need. Vanessa has also helped expand Planned Parenthood’s engagement with Latinos through social media, including garnering millions of impressions on the Planned Parenthood Latinos social media properties.

Before joining Planned Parenthood, Vanessa obtained both her masters’ in social work and public administration at Arizona State University and worked hand-in-hand with immigrant families, providing therapy for children with developmental delays between the ages of 0 to 5. The opportunity to work with these families, hear their stories of struggle, and too often of violence, is an experience Vanessa brings to all her work. These families’ personal stories, coupled with the constant fear of deportation and other burdens imposed by Arizona’s out-of-touch politicians, further strengthened Vanessa’s resolve to use her life, her privilege and her skills to fight for those who often felt that they had no voice. Vanessa also worked on the legislative team for Arizona Governor Janet Napolitano, served in senior roles for various Democratic campaigns, and as communications director for the Congressional Hispanic Caucus. 

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