Kirsten Vangsness

Kirsten Vangsness is an American actress and writer, born on July 7, 1972, in Pasadena, California. She gained recognition for her role as FBI Technical Analyst Penelope Garcia on the CBS drama series Criminal Minds, a character she also portrayed in the spin-off series Criminal Minds: Suspect Behavior and Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders. Vangsness is of Norwegian and Italian descent, with her father being of Norwegian heritage and her mother of Italian heritage. Growing up in Porterville, California, she later moved to Cerritos, California. Vangsness attended Cerritos High School and Cypress College before graduating from California State University, Fullerton in 1996. Acting helped her overcome shyness, and she achieved success in the theater, winning awards such as the 15 Minutes of Female Best Actress Award and the Los Angeles Drama Critics Award for Best Emerging C.