Representative Denise Villalobos

Denise Villalobos is a Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives representing District 34, which encompasses parts of Nueces County including Corpus Christi and surrounding communities. She was first elected in 2024 and began serving in 2025, flipping the seat from Democratic control when incumbent Abel Herrero retired.

Villalobos was born and raised in Corpus Christi and grew up economically disadvantaged. She attended Tuloso-Midway schools from Pre-K through high school graduation. Before entering the legislature, she served on the Tuloso-Midway school board, focusing on student safety, empowering parents and teachers, and creating quality job opportunities for students.

As a foster parent since 2023, Villalobos and her husband, Ruben , were planning to formally adopt their foster son. She is a member of the Society of Professional Hispanic Engineers and a graduate of Leadership Corpus Christi. She has been honored by Corpus Christi Under 40 for her professional and community contributions.

Education

Villalobos earned a Bachelor of Science in Chemical Engineering from Texas A&M University Kingsville, graduating Magna Cum Laude. She later completed a Master of Business Administration from Texas Tech University in Lubbock.

Political Experience

In her career as an oil and gas engineer and project manager, Villalobos enhanced reliability programs for refineries across the country and served as a board member on two national STEM organizations, inspiring students to pursue STEM careers.

For the 89th Legislative Session, her first in the legislature, Villalobos serves on three committees: Appropriations , Natural Resources, and Local & Consent Calendars. She has advocated for healthcare initiatives in her district, including testimony supporting a bill to address higher-than-average patient wait times in Nueces County.