Lionel Rivera

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Lionel Rivera

Lionel Rivera is the Republican Mayor of Colorado Springs, Colorado. Elected in April of 2003, he is the first Hispanic Vice Mayor and Mayor in the history of Colorado Springs.

Originally from El Paso, Texas, Rivera came to Colorado Springs in 1984 as an Army Captain at Fort Carson. He has served on many community boards including being a founder and past president of the Colorado Springs Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, serving on the Colorado Springs Greater Chamber of Commerce Board and United Way Board of Trustees and Executive Committee and a co-chair of The Springs Community Action Plan. Rivera was first elected to an at large City Council seat in April of 1997 and re-elected again in April of 1999. In April of 2001 he was elected by his City Council colleagues to serve as Vice Mayor for a two year term.

Rivera holds a Bachelor's Degree in Microbiology from Texas Tech University and a Master's Degree in Business Administration from Jacksonville State University.

He ran for U.S. Congress in Colorado's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives but lost in the Republican primary to Doug Lamborn, on August 8, 2006.