Cecilia Vega was born in New York on January 7, 1977. Vega was raised in San Francisco and graduated from Salesian High School in 1995. Vega attended the American University School of Communication where she graduated in 1999. Upon graduation, Vega wrote for the San Francisco Chronicle. Vega began her broadcasting career at KGO-TV in San Francisco where she functioned as a television reporter covering a variety of local stories and news for over three years. In 2010, Vega received an Emmy Award for local coverage. She also received awards from the California Newspaper Publishers Association, the East Bay Press Club, the Hearst Corporation and The New York Times.
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Vega joined ABC News as a Senior National reporter based in Los Angeles. She worked on stories that took her all over the world including Japan, Rome, and London; where she covered stories such as the Fukushima power plant disaster, the selection of the new Pope, and the Olympics. Other significant stories include coverage of Ebola cases in the United States, the election and inauguration of President Barack Obama and the Sony computer hacking.
On March 2, 2015, Cecilia Vega was named anchor of ABC New’s World News Tonight Saturday where she remained until 2017 when she was named senior White House correspondent. Vega credits American University, and its location in Washington D.C. for much of her success. In speaking to current American University students Vega offered the following advice: “Utilize what you have at your disposal. Being in Washington, DC, you have so much at your fingertips. Your professors are in the newsroom in the morning and teaching classes at night –it is an invaluable education. The ability to capitalize on these opportunities separates AU students from other students.”
Vega is married to Ricardo Jimenez, a California Highway Patrol officer. Jimenez was awarded the meritorious achievement award in 2015 after he pulled a drunk and depressed man to safety from the edge of the Bay Bridge. Jimenez was one of the first officers on the scene, upon his arrival, Jimenez saw as man standing on the other side of the railing, hundreds of feet above the bay, perched on a four inch wide ledge. Fire fighters managed to get a rope around the apparently hallucinating man’s waist and Jimenez lunged forward, grabbing the man in a bear hug even as the man struggled, flailed his arms and dropped his body weight off the railing. Jimenez was slightly injured as he pulled the man to safety, since the man struck him repeatedly. Jimenez was granted the Meritorious Achievement Award by Golden Gate Division Chief Paul Fontana for his bravery on September 4, 2015. In awarding Jimenez the achievement award, Fontana called him a “true hero.” Captain Christopher Sherry, who commands the San Francisco area of highway patrol, said, “His bravery and willingness to risk his life for another human being is commendable. Officer Jimenez lived up to his sworn oath as a public protector that afternoon. The danger was very real, yet Officer Jimenez selflessly jumped into action and in doing so placed himself in harm’s way to save a life. He is a true hero.” He was also a very good student. He Graduated from Loyola University and was a member of the Latin American Student Organization.
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Cecilia is an active social media user. She can be found at all the popular social media platforms including Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. People who know Vega say that she is a very loving and caring person. At the age of 45, she still looks young. Her biography can be read on Wiki and other websites on the internet. Her net worth is estimated to be around $2 million which she earned through all of her hard work in the broadcasting industry.
Cecilia Vega has been in the news recently due to her treatment by Donald Trump, President of the United States of America during a televised news conference. Vega was at the news conference where Trump was announcing his remake of NAFTA. He called on Vega so that she could ask a question. Immediately after calling on her Trump said “She’s shocked that I picked her. She’s like in a state of shock.” Vega replied “I’m not. Thank you, Mr. President.” To which Trump replied “That’s okay. I know you’re not thinking. You never do.” Much of the nation’s media was outraged by the exchange, pointing to Trump’s repeated misogynistic tendencies. Vega later alluded to the exchange with Trump in a tweet: “A news conference means you get to ask whatever question you want to ask. #FirstAmendment."
As senior White House correspondent for ABC news Vega is often confrontational with the White House. In August of 2018 Vega confronted White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders about the President’s propensity for not telling the truth. “Can you stand her today and say the president has never lied to the American people,” Vega asked “because so many look back at the tape of him on Air Force One saying he knew nothing about these payments, when in fact we now know he knew everything about these payments. So has he lied?” Sanders, “I think that’s a ridiculous accusation, the president in this matter has done nothing wrong. There are no charges against him.”
Vega has since criticized Trump for holding a public swearing in ceremony for Justice Kavanaugh. She said “it was a swearing in fit for primetime. A dramatic entrance by the president and his supreme court pick, the other eight justices there looking on, the applause from supporters roaring. And it was all just for show. Justice Kavanaugh had actually been officially sworn in over the weekend, but with the nation watching, President Trump wanted to deliver a message.” Vega took umbrage with Trump’s remarks: “Our country, a man or a woman, must always be presumed innocent unless and until proven. You, sir, under historic scrutiny were proven innocent. Thank you. Thank you very much.” Vega said that Kavanaugh was never proven innocent and while the president now says Kavanaugh was victimized by a hoax, less than two weeks ago he declared accuser Christine Blasey Ford a credible witness.
Cecilia Vega has interviewed everyone from Mexico’s President Enrique Peña Nieto to Sylvester Stallone. She has been to the bottom of the Arctic in a submarine, petted whales in the Sea of Cortez and even got to dance Gangnam Style with Psy. Cecilia made her mark as an award winning print reporter and now her work can be seen on “Good Morning America,” “Nightline” and “20/20.” Cecilia Vega currently resides with her husband in New York but admittedly spends “most of her time on an airplane.”
Last Modified: Apr 8, 2020
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