Subscribe: Apple Podcasts | Google Podcasts | RSS
Marita Rivero is the Executive Director of the Museum of African-American History, New England’s largest museum dedicated to preserving, conserving, and interpreting the contributions of African Americans. She discusses what it means to be part of a cultural continuum, and how the arts and humanities can be used to reach across barriers to bring a richer dialog forward.
Marita Rivero is the Executive Director of the Museum of African American History in Boston and Nantucket. She has been involved with the Museum as a supporter, member, volunteer and board member, including ten years as its chair in the early 2000’s. Rivero brings experience as a prolific public broadcasting executive, and member of several local and national non-profit boards in the areas of social service, arts, education, and historic preservation.
Rivero was the former Vice President and General Manager for Radio and Television at WGBH and oversaw all of WGBH’s radio and television activities, including programming, marketing and administration. In 2013 she stepped out of that role, and became a Senior Advisor to WGBH until July, 2015.
Rivero began her broadcast career at WGBH in 1970 as a producer of public affairs television programs, including Say Brother (now Basic Black). Her accomplishments include supervising WGBH/PBS’ Peabody and Emmy award-winning Africans in America, a History of Slavery, and collaborating on WGBH/Blackside’s This Far By Faith. Rivero has been honored with several awards, among them, a Living Legend Award from the Museum; a National Association of Black Journalists’ Journalist of the Year Regional Award; a Pinnacle Award from the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce for Achievement in Arts & Education; the first Image Award for Vision and Excellence from Women in Film and Video/New England, induction into the Boston YWCAs Women Achievers and the Abigail Adams award from the Massachusetts Women’s Political Caucus.
She currently serves on the board of Bunker Hill Community College, and is Chair of the National Trust for Historic Preservation. Among other media industry boards Rivero has served most recently on the NPR board and as chair of the National Black Programming Consortium (NBPC). In Boston she has served on the boards of The Partnership, Inc, the ULEM, and visitors groups for Dimock Community Health Center and the ICA among others.
Rivero began her higher education experience at her family’s home base, Lincoln University, PA. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from Tufts University and has participated in post-graduate training at Harvard University’s Graduate School of Education, and the Stanford and Wharton Schools of Business.