Cristal DeHerrera is the Executive Vice President and Chief of Staff at Denver International Airport (DEN), one of the busiest airline hubs in the world’s largest aviation market and the primary economic engine for the state of Colorado. Cristal manages the airport’s External Affairs business unit where she leads the development of the airport’s strategies, policies and plans related to legislative and regulatory activities at the local, state and federal level. She also leads the culture and strategy initiatives within DEN as well as the airport’s efforts to increase the opportunity and capacity of the certified business community through contracting opportunities and educational programs via the DEN Commerce Hub.
Prior to joining DEN in 2018, Cristal served for 4 years as the Deputy City Attorney for the City and County of Denver. In the City Attorney’s Office, she managed the day-to-day operations of more than 200 attorneys and staff in one of the largest public law offices in the western United States. There she led Denver’s development of the governance structure and formation of the National Western Center Authority which will manage, operate and maintain a year-round urban hub for food and ag discovery in the heart of the American West. Cristal also led Mayor Hancock’s efforts to partner with the Denver City Council on the Public Safety Priority Enforcement Act which promoted public safety through community trust and limited Denver’s role in federal immigration enforcement. Cristal also led the development of Denver’s Immigrant Legal Defense Fund.
Before joining the City Attorney’s Office, Cristal was a Shareholder at Brownstein Hyatt Farber Schreck, where her practice focused on mergers and acquisitions, private equity, public and private securities offerings, capital formation and securities advice. Cristal holds a J.D. from the University of California, Berkeley School of Law and received her undergraduate degree in political studies from Pitzer College in Claremont, California. The Colorado Hispanic Bar Association honored Cristal with the Christopher A. Miranda Outstanding Hispanic Lawyer Award. In addition, she received the Denver Bar Association’s Richard Marden Davis Award for leadership in Denver’s civic, cultural, educational and charitable activities. She was recognized by the Colorado Women’s Bar Association and was honored with the Raising the Bar Award, Women to Watch: 5 Female Attorneys Who Will Make an Impact over the Next 10 Years. She also received the Denver Business Journal’s 40 under 40 award.
Current role