Vanessa Carmona was born in Colombia, but grew up in East Haven, Connecticut where she graduated from East Haven High School and ran for the cross country team. She intends to major in Biology at UConn, with the goal of becoming a pediatrician. She has extensive experience working in the health fields, including 200 hours volunteering at Yale-New Haven Hospital, serving as state treasurer of the Connecticut chapter of Health Occupation Students of America, and working in a nursing home as a state certified nurse’s assistant.