Veronica De La Cruz is a TV journalist, author and advocate for health care reform who currently works as an anchor and correspondent for the TV Guide Network. Ms. De La Cruz’s brother, Eric, passed away in July 2009 after struggling to get health insurance that was denied for years because of a pre-existing medical condition. Ms. De La Cruz has traveled the country speaking about the need for health care reform and working with lawmakers to advance legislation which will ensure greater access and affordability to health care for all Americans.

As a journalist, Ms. De La Cruz served on CNN’s flagship morning news program, American Morning, as an Internet correspondent, reporting on the hottest news from online sources and blogs and guiding viewers through the most popular and essential stories from CNN.com and i-Reports, the network’s user-generated content initiative. While at CNN, she anchored CNN.com Live, CNN Pipeline and “Now in the News,” a fast-paced hourly Web- and wireless-exclusive news update, anchoring live coverage of major breaking stories including the death of former President Ronald Reagan, the tsunami in Southeast Asia, the Hezbollah-Israeli conflict and Hurricane Katrina.

Prior to working at CNN, Ms. De La Cruz served as an anchor, reporter and producer at KYMA-TV in Yuma, Ariz. There, she anchored and produced a one-hour morning newscast as well as anchored a half-hour show at noon. During her tenure there, she also covered numerous stories on U.S.- Mexico border issues, the nation’s nursing shortage, the plight of the migrant farm worker and the homeless, for whom she continues to do extensive volunteer work.

Before KYMA-TV, Ms. De La Cruz was a music journalist for SonicNet/Digital Planet and Eruptor Entertainment’s Living Giant. She began her broadcasting career hosting Direct Drive, a show she created for the Digital Entertainment Network.

Before beginning her career in journalism, Ms. De La Cruz spent a decade of her life as a competitive figure skater. She serves as a spokeswoman for Lions Health First Foundation, which provides preventive health screenings for senior citizens and those from disadvantaged backgrounds. Ms. De La Cruz is a member of the Asian American Journalists Association and mentors aspiring broadcast-journalists at the Associated Press Television-Radio Association’s Academy.

Ms. De La Cruz is now devotes much of her time to educating others on health care reform issues and helping ensure the obstacles that faced her brother are removed for other patients in need. She is also writing about his struggles and her journey to help others in his honor.

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