Shayla Rivera

Shayla Rivera has been named "Funniest Latina Comedian" by the prestigious organization "Latin 2015". Born and raised in Puerto Rico, Rivera grew up with an avid interest in science, machinery and fixing things. Rivera’s family always encouraged her to go to college and have a professional career.
Rivera attended Texas A&M University, earning a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering. Then she joined McDonnell-Douglas Space Systems at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, working on… Show more NASA’s shuttle and space station programs for the next eight years. Stymied by a lack of enthusiasm for her field, Rivera left to pursue her abiding interest in psychology and became a motivational speaker. She worked extensively as a corporate trainer, holding seminars on stress management for executives at companies around the country. It was while she was conducting seminars that Rivera discovered her comedic skills. Rivera signed up for a weekend class on stand-up comedy, at the end of which she performed a five-minute routine. It was a rousing success and a personal turning point. “I knew I had found what I was looking for,” Rivera recalled.

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