Ana Mariella Rivera

Ana Mariella Rivera is a seasoned licensed clinical social worker, mental health strategist, and community storyteller with over 18 years of experience serving immigrant, BIPOC, and Latine communities. She is the founder of a thriving private practice and consulting firm where she integrates mental health, leadership development, and cultural identity. Her work is grounded in a healing-centered approach that fosters self-leadership, agency, and collective well-being.

Ana Mariella brings mental health beyond clinical spaces through her transmedia advocacy. She partners with Telemundo Minnesota to produce short-form, bilingual mental health segments and is the creator and host of Historias y Huellas, a podcast that elevates immigrant stories and Latine leadership narratives. Through media, storytelling, and community-centered education, she is committed to democratizing access to culturally relevant mental health tools and conversations.

At St. Catherine University, Ana Mariella serves as an adjunct instructor in the social work department, and a mentor and advocate for first-generation, BIPOC students, supporting their academic and professional journeys in a field that urgently needs their voices. She also serves on the board of LatinoLEAD. 

Born in Lima, Peru, Ana Mariella was raised between Lima and Miami. She earned her undergraduate degree in Psychology from Florida International University and later relocated to the Twin Cities to pursue her Master’s in Clinical Social Work at the University of Minnesota. Her lived experience as a Latina immigrant and first-generation professional informs her deep commitment to reshaping narratives of resilience, healing, and leadership in our communities.