Mireya Villarreal Biography and Wikipedia
Mireya Villarreal works as a national correspondent for ABC News and is based in Dallas-Fort Worth, Texas. She’s widely respected for her courageous reporting and powerful storytelling, particularly in the Southern U.S. Before joining ABC in 2021, she spent seven years at CBS News covering key topics such as wildfires, immigration, military scandals, and environmental crises. Her investigation into the disappearance of Vanessa Guillen at Fort Hood marked a national turning point and helped drive reform. Born on October 22, 1979, in Rio Grande Valley, Texas, she identifies as Latina and holds the zodiac sign Libra. She earned a marketing degree from the University of Texas-Pan American in 2001. At ABC, she has appeared on major programs like World News Tonight, Good Morning America, Nightline, and ABC News Live. She was also the first reporter on-air during the 2022 Uvalde school shooting. Her work has earned her some of journalism’s highest honors, including the duPont-Columbia Award, Edward R. Murrow Award, and several Emmys.
Age and Birthday
Mireya Villarreal was born on October 22, 1979, which makes her 45 years old in 2025. She grew up in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas. Her zodiac sign is Libra, known for balance, justice, and diplomacy—qualities reflected in her investigative approach.
Mireya Villarreal Height and Weight
Mireya Villarreal stands about 5 feet 6 inches tall (169 cm) and weighs around 60 kg (134 lbs). Many viewers describe her as polished and professional, a look that mirrors her confident and clear reporting style.
Education Background
Mireya earned her bachelor’s degree in Business Administration with a focus on Marketing from the University of Texas-Pan American in 2001. She speaks both English and Spanish fluently, which allows her to report effectively within bilingual communities. Her business education helps her analyze complex stories on topics like government spending, fraud, and corporate responsibility.
Mireya Villarreal Nationality and Ethnicity
Mireya Villarreal is an American journalist born and raised in Texas’s Rio Grande Valley. She proudly identifies as Mexican-American. Her cultural roots influence her coverage, especially on stories about immigration, education, and Latino resilience.
Notable Work & Influence
Notable Work
Vanessa Guillen Investigation ▸ Mireya was the first national journalist to cover Vanessa Guillen’s disappearance and the harassment claims at Fort Hood. Her reporting brought widespread awareness and encouraged military reform.
Uvalde School Shooting Coverage ▸ She was ABC’s first on-air reporter during the tragic 2022 Uvalde shooting. As the lead of the Uvalde 365 initiative, she provided ongoing coverage of the community’s healing.
Environmental & Border Reporting ▸ She tackled issues like the Colorado River contamination, California wildfires, and Porter Ranch methane leak. Her in-depth border coverage earned national recognition.
“THC: The Human Cost” ▸ She investigated human trafficking tied to illegal marijuana operations in the Pacific Northwest.
“The Power of Water” ▸ This climate-focused special won the 2024 duPont-Columbia Award.
“Pandemia” ▸ She examined how the COVID-19 crisis affected Latino communities, earning the 2021 NAHJ Al Neuharth Award.
Influence
Latina Trailblazer ▸ As one of the few Mexican-American women in national broadcast journalism, Mireya brings light to underrepresented stories and often reports in both Spanish and English.
Mentorship & Advocacy ▸ She regularly mentors new journalists and participates in nonprofit initiatives.
Emotional Storytelling ▸ She has openly shared her personal experiences, including multiple miscarriages, which has led to broader conversations about women’s health in the news industry.
Mireya Villarreal Career
Mireya began her career at KGNS-TV in Laredo, Texas, where she started as an associate producer and later became the first female sports anchor. She covered both community stories and local sports. From 2005 to 2008, she worked as an investigative reporter at KRGV-TV in the Rio Grande Valley, where she focused on consumer issues and local corruption. She moved to WOAI-TV in San Antonio, where her investigative reporting led to multiple awards, including Emmys and Texas AP honors for exposing real estate fraud, wasteful spending, and immigration-related issues.
Later, she joined KTVT-TV (CBS Dallas) as a lead investigative reporter. There, she uncovered improper spending in school districts and investigated Texas airport management. In 2015, she became a national correspondent at CBS News, based in Los Angeles. She reported across 13 states, covering major stories like the Umpqua Community College shooting, California wildfires, and the Porter Ranch methane leak. Her reporting on Vanessa Guillen’s disappearance broke nationally and led to reforms.
In 2021, Mireya joined ABC News as a national correspondent in Dallas-Fort Worth. She contributes to World News Tonight, Good Morning America, Nightline, and ABC News Live. Her major coverage includes the Uvalde school shooting and the ongoing Uvalde 365 project. She also produced major specials: THC: The Human Cost, The Power of Water, and Pandemia, which tackled human trafficking, climate change, and pandemic inequality in Latino communities.
Throughout her journalism journey, Mireya has earned some of the field’s highest recognitions. She received the duPont-Columbia Award (2024), Edward R. Murrow Award (2020), NAHJ Ñ Award (2023), and Al Neuharth Award (2021). She has also won three Lone Star Emmys and several Texas AP Awards, all celebrating her dedication to impactful and ethical journalism.
Husband, Family and Kids
Mireya married Matthew Reed Gideon on December 28, 2007, in Hidalgo County, Texas. Over the years, their relationship has remained strong, with Matthew offering steady support behind the scenes. The couple values privacy but occasionally share moments from their family life on social media.
They have one son, Maeson Gideon, born in March 2016. Mireya has openly talked about experiencing multiple miscarriages, including one during her reporting on the 2017 wildfires in Northern California. Her honesty on this topic has helped open up national dialogue about women’s health in journalism. Today, they live in Dallas-Fort Worth, where she continues to balance her career and motherhood, often sharing heartwarming glimpses of her life with Maeson.
Mireya Villarreal Salary and Net worth
As of 2025, Mireya Villarreal has an estimated net worth of about $3 million, showing her continued success in national news.
Annual Salary: She earns approximately $123,000 per year as an ABC News national correspondent based in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Previous Earnings: While at CBS News, her salary was reportedly around $102,550 annually, typical for correspondents at that level.
Additional Income Sources: Mireya also earns from public speaking, nonprofit work, and possibly investments or media consulting.
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