Born in Havana, Cuba, Rosa immigrated to the U.S. in 1962.

After receiving a B.A. in Music and a graduate program in Ethnomusicology, she began a professional musical career as a founding member and musical director of ‘Latin Fever,” all-woman Latin fusion band. Rosa has also had successful collaborations with Grammy winner, producer Larry Harlow, and Latin bandleader Alberto Slezynger’s “Projecto Daiquiri,” with whom she wrote music and lyrics for gold and platinum albums. Rosa’s original songs have been covered by international artists and featured in films.

Rosa has participated in BMI's Lehman-Engel Musical Theater Workshop for Librettists and Composers/Lyricists. She has studied acting and voice-over techniques with Catherine Marks in New York.

Over the past several years, Rosa also worked with percussionist/writer Sue Hadjopoulos developing works for musical theater. "The Rose Slippers," their second collaboration, was produced in New York to highly favorable reviews. The musical won third prize in the 2004 Jackie White National Memorial Children’s theater competition, and it is being adapted as a children’s book.

In 2002 Rosa received a “Meet the Composer” grant for the “Future Feminine” mixed-media project sponsored by the Tunnel Vision Writer’s Project in Montclair, NJ. Rosa’s plays “Fruitcakes” and “Venial Sins” were produced by New York’s Love Creek Company. “Venial Sins” was selected for the 2004 Samuel French festival in New York. Her short play “Pigeons” was presented at the 2006 Samuel French festival in New York. Rosa was named Playwright in Residence at Passaic County Community College in NJ for the 2009, which presented a reading of her play “Esperanza.”

She is currently in the development stages of a work for musical theater based on the “Goddess” theme. Rosa has recently completed her first full-length novel, Guava Road.

Rosa is a member of SAG, BMI, and The Dramatists Guild.