Debra Rios is a doctoral candidate in health promotion and behavioral sciences at The University of Texas Health Science Center - School of Public Health. She received her bachelor’s degree in health from Texas A&M University and her master’s in health promotion from Indiana University. Debra is also a Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES). Her current interests are in health disparities, specifically, how psychosocial factors affect health behaviors in racial/ethnic minorities and low socioeconomic status populations. Debra has experience working in a variety of public health settings and focus areas including worksite wellness, teenage pregnancy prevention, tobacco research/prevention, and obesity prevention. Her career goal is to utilize her public health expertise to develop significant health policies that will create health equality for disadvantaged populations.