Janisset Rivero was born in Cuba and as a teenager, lived in exile in Venezuela with her parents and sister. She graduated with a degree in Communications and Advertising in Caracas, and arrived to Miami in 1990. She then graduated from Florida International University with a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish and a Master of Arts in Spanish years later.

She is recognized as an important Cuban human rights activist in the South Florida community. As an Executive Director of the Cuban Democratic Directorate, she represented the Cuban struggle for freedom and democracy at the UN’s Human Rights Council in Geneva and at OAS’s Inter-American Commission for Human Rights in Washington, DC, on numerous occasions.

Her Op-eds have been published in Venezuela, Puerto Rico, and US newspapers. She is also a published author of two testimonial poetry books and a novel.

In October 2014, she was recognized by the City of Boston for her activities in favor of democracy and human rights in Cuba; also, in March 2013, the US Congress recognized her efforts.

She worked as South Florida Field Director for The LIBRE Initiative and as a Grassroots Trainer and Curriculum Specialist for Grassroots Leadership Academy (GLA) at Americans for Prosperity Foundation and leads the GLA Hispanic Outreach Program.

Janisset Rivero is an Operations Specialist and Training Manager for The LIBRE Institute.