Paola Coots

Paola Coots is a Latina transgender-identified woman who was born in the big city of Monterrey in the State of Nuevo Leon, Mexico and currently living in San Diego, CA, USA. She started helping Translatin@s as bilingual case manager/outreach worker at the Family Health Centers of San Diego with Project STAR as of May 2007.

She conducted and completed her studies in Monterrey as Data Analyst Programmer and Private Accountant, also began her studies as Business Administrator, last career left unfinished due travel to USA.

Paola has participated in numerous trainings in comprehensive risk counseling services (CRCS), HIV/STD prevention, and group-level interventions with a focus on the transgender community. She gives presentations on HIV/STDS risk in the County Jails of San Diego under the High Risk Positive/Negative (HRNP) county contract where speaks of strength, self-esteem, health (use of condoms) and self-improvement, Paola also does adaptations for SISTA workshops for Transwomen in San Diego County. She also works with the Transgender Advocacy and Services Center (TASC) as part of the Public Awareness, Advocacy, and Communication working and planning group, Paola also participated as Community Advisory aboard with The Center of Excellence for Transgender Health.

Paola has participated in several local, State and national conferences such as USCA, Transgender LAW Center, Excellent Center for Transgender Living HIV, EQUALTY and PARTY II, Coalition TransLatin@, Women's Conference

Today she works as HIV/AIDS case worker and ADAP/OA-HIPP/LIHP enrollment worker helping Translatin@s, she spoke and helped in many public events for the Transgender Community in San Diego such The Transgender Empowerment Day and The Transgender Remembrance Day. In addition, Paola assists Latino transgender support groups in San Diego and currently working actively with Translatin@ Coalition.