Vilma Linares–Vaughn

Vilma Linares Vaughn is currently the Chief of Staff at 1199SEIU United Healthcare Workers East. Before joining 1199SEIU, she was the National Director of the Office of Audits and Affiliate Support at the Service Employees International Union (SEIU) in Washington, DC.  She was at SEIU from 2005 to 2012 and held various positions within that organization.  Prior to that, Vilma held the position of Operations Manager for Retec, Inc., a national environmental engineering consulting firm and a subsidiary of Thermo Scientific.  She was responsible for directing and managing four (4) offices, two in Texas, one in Louisiana, and one in Kansas.  She has a Bachelor’s degree in Organizational Communication from the University of Wisconsin, completed Graduate work at Southwest Texas University in Accounting, and has completed all coursework to sit for the CPA exam. She has over 30 years of experience in organizational and operations management.

Vilma has served on various non-profit boards of directors in various capacities. Currently, in addition to serving on the board of directors of My Family Votes/Mi Familia Vota, she is on the Southwest School of Arts Fiesta Art Fair Volunteers Committee and is a member of Las Comadres Para Las America.  Vilma is originally from the Dominican Republic, arrived in the United States at the age of eight and grew up in New York City.  She has lived in Texas for the last 15 years, and now resides in New York City.  Her hobbies include the visual and performing arts, hiking and camping, reading and cooking. She is married to Ronald Vaughn, and between them have two daughters and three grandchildren.