Gabriela Cornejo Figueroa
Wife of Honorable Bill Vidal, the forty-fourth Mayor of Denver.
Her Story
Gabriela Cornejo Figueroa was born in Santiago Chile. At the age of 17, she immigrated to the United States escaping one of the most brutal and violent dictatorships in modern history under General Augusto Pinochet. It was difficult starting over in a new country at the age of 17. As a teenager, she missed her mom who stayed behind in Chile. However, Gabriela says; "My mom's wisdom, guidance, and inspiration were always present and I followed her advice "TO GET AN EDUCATION." She enrolled at the University of Colorado to study civil engineering in search of more opportunities. When she graduated from the University of Colorado, with a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering, she became the first woman in her family to attend college and obtain a degree.
Gabriela dedicated her career to public service, working 30 years for the Colorado Department of Transportation (CDOT). She is known statewide for her successful advocacy of safety for the traveling public and received national recognition for her innovation on the creation of a new program used to detect and eliminate hazardous locations on all transportation corridors. Gabriela retired as the Chief Safety and Traffic Engineer for the state of Colorado. During her tenure at CDOT, she has received several achievement awards for promoting and establishing a diverse workplace. In 2011, she became the first lady of Denver while married to Mayor Bill Vidal. As first lady, she dedicated her efforts to helping underserved high school students by hosting children from Denver Public Schools at the Mayor's Mansion for cultural jams and pep talks. She loves donating to low-income student scholarships, showing them the beauty of diversity through music and art and encouraging them to study and never give up.
"We are lucky to live in a country that offers so much opportunity, so take advantage of it”, she tells the kids. “Don’t forget where you came from. Don’t forget your teachers and the people who helped you get where you wanted to be and do not forget the people who have been dismissed and discounted by society.”
Gabriela resides in Denver and has two married daughters and a grandson.
Plaque Biography
Personal
Born in Santiago, Chile in January 1960, Gabriela immigrated to the United States when she was 17 years old. Graduated from the University of Colorado with a degree in Civil and Environmental Engineering. She resides in Denver, has two married daughters and a grandson.
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Of Note
She worked for the Colorado Department of Transportation for thirty years, and retired as the Chief Safety and Traffic Engineer for the State of Colorado. As First Lady, she dedicated her efforts to helping underserved high school students by hosting children from Denver Public Schools at Cableland for cultural jams and pep talks.