Mrs. Gattas-Vincenty was raised in Puerto Rico, where she spent her childhood and early adulthood. She got a BA degree from Sacred Heart University in San Juan, Puerto Rico and an AS degree from the School of Allied Health Professionals in Centro Medico, Carolina, Puerto Rico. She is married to Lou and has three grown children: Christopher, Nicole and Daniel. Mrs. Gattas-Vincenty came to New York City in 1985 in pursuit of her dream to work with the Emergency Medical Services (EMS). She was hired in 1987 and dedicated her life to help others as a volunteer Auxiliary Police Officer and as an Emergency Medical Technician. She worked at the EMS Communications Center handling 911 calls, as a spanish translator under the Health and Hospital Corporation (HHC) and The NYC Fire Department (FDNY), in the field providing patient care, and as a FDNY-EMS Lieutenant at Emergency Medical Dispatch.