Born in Honolulu, HI, Rivera earned a Bachelor's Degree in Microbiology from Texas Tech University and a Master of Business Administration from Jacksonville State University.

Rivera came to Colorado Springs in 1984 as an Army Captain stationed at Fort Carson.

He has served on many community boards including being a founder and past president of the Colorado Springs Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, serving on the Colorado Springs Greater Chamber of Commerce Board and United Way Board of Trustees and Executive Committee and a co-chair of The Springs Community Action Plan.

In April 2001, he was elected by his City Council colleagues to serve as Vice Mayor for a two-year term.

He ran for U.S. Congress in Colorado's 5th congressional district in the United States House of Representatives but lost in the Republican primary to Doug Lamborn, on August 8, 2006.