Identifying and Serving Patients with Limited English Proficiency (LEP)

Gustavo R. Negrete received his training at California State University, Fullerton in the Extended Education Program in Court Interpreting. In 2014, he achieved national certification through the National Board of Certification for Medical Interpreters (NBCMI), earning the title of Certified Medical Interpreter – Spanish. He is also a Certified HIPAA Privacy Expert (CHPE). Mr. Negrete is the current Chair of the NBCMI, serving previously as the Secretary of the National Board. He is President and CEO of a micro interpreting and translation company, fulfilling language access needs in medical, legal, community, education, and consulting areas, and is the new managing director of TransInterpreting. Mr. Negrete has over twenty years of experience in health care, having served in several clinical roles and departments prior to becoming an interpreter. He is a staunch advocate for language access, limited English proficiency (LEP) rights, and the interpreting profession as an active participant in organizations who lobby and/or promote these causes.

Rebecca Vargas-Jackson MD, is a surgeon and infectious disease specialist,  bilingual (English and Spanish), and has been working for over 25 years as a subject matter expert developing assessments, training, technical assistance, capacity building, and monitoring and evaluation,  on cultural competency in health care, health-related stigma, limited English proficiency (LEP) individuals, health risk communication, messaging transcreation, and health literacy. Dr. Vargas-Jackson’s work is  principally focused on underserved populations, racial/ethnic minorities, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT), hard to reach, and new immigrant communities. She is co-organizer of the annual International Stigma Conference at Howard University. Dr. Vargas-Jackson was one of the co-writers of the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) National Standards for Culturally and Linguistically Appropriate Services in Health Care.

Dr. Vargas-Jackson has been affiliated with George Mason University (GMU) as research faculty, in the College of Health and Human Services. At GMU, she taught courses on Principles of Global Health, and Health and Disease  and has facilitated partnerships between the University and community-based and faith-based organizations, and Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) to develop alliances to apply for grants that target major health gaps and disparities affecting new immigrant and/or disenfranchised communities. During the COVID19 pandemic, Dr. Vargas-Jackson served as public health physician at the Virginia Health Department as a key member of the cultural and equitable communications team.

Dr. Vargas-Jackson was Senior Vice President for Research at the National Association of People with HIV/AIDS (NAPWA). She led projects to increase HIV prevention and treatment and develop community mobilization interventions to increase participation in testing to facilitate access to health care, prevention, treatment, and follow-up services.

Dr. Vargas-Jackson also served as the Executive Director of Health and International Programs at WRMA Inc. , and Co-Principal Investigator (PI) and Director of Research at Whitman Walker Clinic in Washington, D.C. She has  directed and lead a variety of programs at institutions such as Howard University Hospital, The George Washington University, Northern Virginia Community College, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Hispanic Committee of Virginia, D.C. Tobacco Coalition, D.C. Asthma Coalition, the American Lung Association, National Latino Behavioral Health Association, and National Latino Council on Alcohol and Tobacco Prevention., Dr. Vargas-Jackson has in-depth knowledge of health care systems, lack of health professionals, and other gaps affecting a variety of countries in Africa, Eastern Europe, Central, and South America.

At Howard University, close to 25 years ago, Dr. Vargas-Jackson developed the first Office of Multicultural Services,  was Co-PI in the first AIDS clinical trials for minorities,  and developed summer programs for D.C. disenfranchised youth groups to increase the youths’ knowledge and understanding of health professions and the shortage of ethnically and culturally diverse health providers.