Rosa Santiago was born in Havana, Cuba, and she has been a Florida resident since 1973. She graduated from FIU in 1991 before obtaining her Master of Business Administration from Barry University in 2001.

Since 1999, she worked for The Kirk Foundation, namely the late R. Kirk Landon, as executive director.  In 2015, Santiago was elected president by the board of directors of two Foundations – The Kirk Foundation and The Kirk A. and Dorothy P. Landon Foundation (which exclusively supports the American Association for Cancer Research).

Santiago is a former board member of Arts for Learning and Expressions Dance Company and a current member of the United Way Community Impact Committee. She is married and is a mother of two children.