Mike Villarreal

A native of San Antonio, Texas, Villarreal became the first in his family to graduate from college when he earned degrees in economics and mathematics from Texas A&M University in 1993. He subsequently completed a master's degree in public policy from Harvard Kennedy School in 1996 and a PhD in public policy from the University of Texas at Austin's LBJ School of Public Affairs in 2018, where he specialized in quantitative methods and education policy evaluation.{{cite web |title=HOME |url=https://www.mikevillarreal.org/ |website=MichaelVillarreal |access-date=10 September 2023 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=State Rep. Mike Villarreal legislates through learning - The Daily Texan |url=https://thedailytexan.com/news/2013/01/18/state-rep-mike-villarreal-legislates-through-learning |accessdate=30 April 2020 |work=www.dailytexanonline.com |language=en}}

Villarreal represented San Antonio in the Texas House of Representatives for fifteen years as a Democrat (2000-2015). During his tenure, he served on several key committees, including Public Education, Appropriations, and Ways and Means, and chaired the Financial Services Committee.{{cite web |title=Texas House of Representatives - House Committees |url=https://house.texas.gov/committees/ |website=www.house.texas.gov |accessdate=30 April 2020}}

His legislative accomplishments include establishing Texas' statewide education and workforce data system, defeating regressive tax proposals, and championing initiatives in early education, student financial aid, and workforce development. Villarreal was the first legislator from Bexar County to be named to Texas Monthly's "Best Legislators" list, an honor he received twice.{{Cite web |url=http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/phdstudents/michael-u-villarreal |title=Michael U. Villarreal | Lyndon B. Johnson School of Public Affairs |access-date=January 29, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150402034321/http://www.utexas.edu/lbj/phdstudents/michael-u-villarreal |archive-date=April 2, 2015 |url-status=dead }}

Villarreal resigned his seat in the State House in January 2015 to run for Mayor of San Antonio in the 2015 mayoral election.{{cite web|url=http://www.texastribune.org/2014/11/09/mike-villarreal-resign-new-legislature/|title=Villarreal Resigning to Run for San Antonio Mayor|work=The Texas Tribune|date=November 9, 2014 |accessdate=November 19, 2014}} Villarreal came in third and did not qualify for the runoff.{{cite news|title=In mayoral election, San Antonio was a city divided |url=https://www.expressnews.com/news/local/article/In-mayoral-election-San-Antonio-was-a-city-6256780.php |access-date=April 5, 2025 |work=San Antonio Express-News |language=en}}

After leaving the legislature, Villarreal founded and directed the Urban Education Institute at the University of Texas at San Antonio (2018-2022), where he led research on policies and programs affecting educational achievement in marginalized communities. His research has particularly focused on early education, college readiness, the impact of dual credit coursework, financial aid programs, and the effects of school mobility on educational achievement in Bexar County.{{cite web|url=https://www.utsa.edu/today/2022/05/story/uei-partners-with-cosa-for-workforce-development.html |title=Urban Education Institute |website=www.utsa.edu |date=May 12, 2015 |access-date=April 5, 2025 |language=en}}

From 2022 to 2024, Villarreal served as Assistant Commissioner at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, where his team transformed education and workforce data into actionable insights to inform policy decisions. {{cite web|url=https://openpayrolls.com/michael-u-villarreal-148314667 |title=Michael U Villarreal |website=openpayrolls.com |access-date=April 5, 2025 |language=en}}

Villarreal currently serves as Principal Data Scientist and equity partner at CML Insight, an AI software development company which focuses on water conservation, water infrastructure management, and student success in higher education. {{cite web|url=https://cmlinsight.com/team |title=CMLInsight - Team |website=www.cmlinsight.com |access-date=April 5, 2025 |language=en}} With his partners, he also founded FairAppraisalNow.com, a technology company that leverages artificial intelligence to assist homeowners in appealing property tax appraisals. {{cite web|url=https://fairappraisalnow.com/about-us |title=FairAppraisalNow.com - About Us |website=fairappraisalnow.com |access-date=April 5, 2025 |language=en}}

Villarreal and his wife, Jeanne Russell, raised two children who graduated from San Antonio Independent School District schools and are now attending college.

{{Reflist}}

• [https://www.mikevillarreal.org/ Personal website]
• [https://lrl.texas.gov/legeleaders/members/memberdisplay.cfm?memberID=250 Legislative Reference Library page]
• [http://ballotpedia.org/wiki/index.php/Michael_Villarreal ballotpedia.org]

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{{TXHouseSuccession box

| district = 123

| hometown = San Antonio

| before = Frank Corte Jr.

| after = Diego Bernal

| years = 2003-2015

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{{TXHouseSuccession box

| district = 115

| hometown = San Antonio

| before = Leticia Van de Putte

| after = Kenny Marchant

| years = 1999–2003

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Category:1971 births

Category:Living people

Category:Harvard Kennedy School alumni

Category:Democratic Party members of the Texas House of Representatives

Category:Hispanic and Latino American state legislators in Texas

Category:Politicians from San Antonio

Category:Texas A&M University alumni

Category:21st-century members of the Texas Legislature