Dr. Pamela Cappas-Toro was born in Mayaguez, Puerto Rico. She grew up in a rural barrio of Cabo Rojo, Puerto Rico, and attended a small, underserved elementary school. Her mom never finished 8th grade, and her father only had a high school education. She moved to the United States 23 years ago and has lived in Utah for the past two years. She identifies as Caborrojeña, Caribeña, Latinx, and Puerto Rican.

Growing up, Dr. Cappas-Toro was four years old when she began running track and field, as it was a free program made available for kids. Dr. Cappas-Toro grew up in poverty, and track and field opened doors for her educationally. In high school, she was scouted and given a full-ride scholarship to attend a STEM university in Puerto Rico. She credits a lot of her success to the support she had from all the mothers in her community who did a lot of uncompensated labor. Although she grew up in poverty, Dr. Cappas-Toro's support from her family and community helped her get to where she is today.

After getting a bachelor's degree, things were difficult financially for Dr. Cappas-Toro. Inspired by her brother, she decided to join the military and due to her ability to speak Spanish she was quickly promoted to Sergeant (E5). Shortly after she enlisted in the military, 9/11 occurred, and it had a significant impact on her military experience.

While in the military, Dr. Cappas-Toro pursued her master's from the University of Texas at San Antonio. While she initially started her master’s in physical education and kinesiology, her intense homesickness led her to change to a master's in American Literature and Cultures, where she found a community of people from all over Latin America for her own personal support.

While in the military, Dr. Cappas-Toro experienced discrimination based on her gender and her linguistic abilities. Although she could speak and write in English, it was her second language, and she was ridiculed for her skill level. She describes the military environment as a man’s world; she faced sexual harassment and was treated as a man. Dr. Cappas-Toro also faced academic discrimination, as many didn’t understand or respect her accomplishments or degree.

Dr. Cappas-Toro currently works for the University of Utah as operations director of the University of Utah Prison Education Project. She greatly enjoys following sports, such as boxing and track and field. She still visits Puerto Rico to see her family, especially during Christmas and over the Summer.