A classically-trained soprano who studied voice for seven years, Alma was born and raised in northeastern Pennsylvania, where she received a Bachelor of Arts in literature with a minor in music at Susquehanna University. Actively involved in the music ministry of her Pennsylvania parish since the age of 15, she served as a cantor at weekly Masses, weddings, and funerals. After moving to Miami to pursue a master’s degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies, she continues to serve as a cantor and wedding singer at St. Agatha Catholic Church. Currently she is the coordinator of the Cuban Research Institute at Florida International University.

The granddaughter of Cuban exiles, Alma has traveled to Cuba several times to conduct research on the island’s Catholic Church. As a writer of creative nonfiction, she has written extensively on the connection between her faith and her Cuban heritage, which she believes is central to her identity. Equally important is her love of music, says Alma. In this sense, her first CD release, “I Lift Up My Soul/Levanto mi alma,” reflects the three central elements of her identity: her faith, her love of music, and her Cuban heritage.