Ximena Rivera was born and raised in Colombia, and is also a licensed attorney in Colombia. In 2012, upon graduation from law school in Colombia, Ximena worked for three years as the Executive Director’s Attorney at the Latin American Reserves Fund, helping advance developing countries. Upon her arrival to the United States, Ximena felt passionate about helping and advocating for the immigrant community.

Ximena joined the Immigration Project as a volunteer in 2015. In 2017, during her Master of Laws program at the University of Illinois-College of Law, she was part of the Domestic Violence and Immigration Law Clinic, assisting staff attorneys with a variety of cases. After graduation, Ximena became a staff member. In the fall of 2019, she obtained her Illinois Bar License and joined Immigration Project as a Staff Attorney.

In 2023, Ximena became Managing Attorney with the Immigration Project, leading a team that strives to provide universal representation to unaccompanied minors and adults in removal proceedings. Ximena is committed to continuously improving access to these services, and zealously advocates for vulnerable communities.