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From founding the only Chamber of Commerce for Hispanic Women in the United States to earning a U.S. Capitol Flag from Senator Rick Scott, Yamilet Rivas is redefining what Latina leadership looks like in America — and she has done it all in just three years.
In a city as dynamic and diverse as Miami, it takes something truly remarkable to stand out. Yamilet Rivas does not just stand out — she stands alone. As the founder and president of the only Chamber of Commerce for Hispanic Women in the United States, Rivas has built an institution that did not exist before she decided it should.
What makes this story even more extraordinary: Rivas arrived in Miami just three years ago. In that time, she has built a business, an institution, a platform, and a legacy that most leaders spend an entire career working toward. This Women’s History Month, we celebrate a leader whose impact already extends far beyond the borders of Miami-Dade — reaching all the way to the United States Capitol.
A Flag Above the Capitol
Few honors are as rare or as meaningful as receiving a United States flag flown over the Capitol Building. Yamilet Rivas is among the select few to hold this distinction. Senator Rick Scott requested the flag in recognition of Rivas’s historic achievement: securing official proclamations of Hispanic Women’s Day in both the State of Florida and Miami-Dade County — making her one of the driving forces behind the formal recognition of Hispanic women at the highest levels of government.
“This is not just a personal honor,” Rivas has said. “It belongs to every Hispanic woman in this country who has worked without recognition, led without a title, and built without resources.”
Building What Did Not Exist
When Rivas identified the gap, she did not wait for someone else to fill it. She founded La Cámara de Comercio de Mujeres Hispanas en Estados Unidos de América — the only chamber of commerce in the nation dedicated exclusively to Hispanic women. The institution has become a hub
for community, resources, and economic empowerment for Latina entrepreneurs and professionals across the country.
As CEO of TechsMIA, a Miami-based technology services company, Rivas also bridges the worlds of business and innovation — bringing technology solutions to the communities and institutions that need them most.
A Voice for the Community
In partnership with Miami-Dade County, Rivas hosts Strive 305 en Español, the Spanish-language edition of the County flagship entrepreneurship podcast. Through the program, she amplifies the voices of Latino business owners, connects entrepreneurs with resources, and creates a platform where the Hispanic community can see itself reflected in Miami economic conversation.
She also co-launched the entrepreneurship incubator at The Hub — a joint initiative with Miami-Dade County designed to nurture early-stage businesses and provide founders with the tools, mentorship, and networks to grow.
From Miami to Harvard — and Beyond
Rivas’s influence is not confined to South Florida. Her leadership has earned her a place at the Harvard Business School Women’s Leadership Forum — one of the most selective executive programs in the world, designed exclusively for senior women leaders from across industries and countries.
The program brings together accomplished women executives from public and private companies, nonprofit organizations, and entrepreneurial ventures spanning every continent. Participants are selected based on professional achievement and organizational responsibility — and the network they build is as global as it is powerful. For Rivas, earning a place among this cohort is not just a personal milestone. It is a signal of where Hispanic women’s leadership stands on the world stage.
Three Years. One City. A National Impact.
Perhaps the most remarkable part of Yamilet Rivas story is its timeline. Three years ago, she was new to Miami. Today, she leads the only national chamber dedicated to Hispanic women, holds a U.S. Capitol Flag, and sits alongside some of the most accomplished female executives on the planet at Harvard Business School.
In a landscape where Hispanic women remain underrepresented in positions of power and visibility, Yamilet Rivas is doing what she has always done: building the table, setting the seats, and making sure the women who deserve a place at it finally have one.
To learn more, visit camacom.org or follow @camaramujereshispanas on Instagram.
