Director of Talent & Leadership Programs, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce
Connector
Monica Mendez firmly believes that magic happens when we find common purpose with those outside of our usual circles.
Born and raised in Mexico, Mendez’s journey has been a testament to her ability to navigate diverse cultural landscapes. She spent the first 15 years of her career as a bicultural, bilingual business professional. While finding corporate success, she felt drawn to causes shaping our community, leading her to boldly change direction. Mendez is a community connector who believes in system-level impact through collaboration and relationship building. As the Director of Talent & Leadership Programs at the Grand Rapids Chamber, Mendez is an ally, building the community of tomorrow. She serves as a leader in strategy, development, and facilitation of ATHENA Grand Rapids, Latina Connect, OutPro, and five leadership programs, in addition to sitting on the boards of the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan and the Literacy Center.
Always open to connect—and knowing from experience that one coffee can be life changing—Mendez says, “I connect with people because I know it’s a powerful way to celebrate each other’s greatness. I not only believe in shining a light on others, but in helping people’s lights shine.”
Monica Mendez
- Details
- Category: Brilliance Awards Finalists 2024
From this issue
Kristin Revere: Channeling Heart and Hard Work to Grow Birth and Postpartum Support in West Michigan
When Kristin Revere, MM, CED, NCS, became a mother, she hadn't imagined she'd one day be leading a team of 25 doulas, educators, and specialists through one of the most respected doula agencies in the Midwest.
Kelsey Carpenter, Ph.D. completed her doctorate in integrated biomedical sciences at Rush University in Chicago, Illinois, and is currently a postdoctoral researcher in the Grainger Lab at Van Andel Institute's Department of Cell Biology. It's here that Dr. Carpenter studies the origins of blood cancers by focusing on how blood cells develop.
You've daydreamed about it during long meetings, endless calls, and over your morning coffee: working for yourself. Maybe you have a product or service you can't wait to share; maybe you just want freedom from rigid schedules and micromanagers.
If you've noticed an increase in concierge medical practices in the last few years, you wouldn't be alone.
This growing trend in medicine has emerged for a number of reasons. But at its core, it's because medical practitioners have a desire to provide women with the preventative and in-depth care they seek, along with the demand from women also seeking the time, care, and expertise they know they truly deserve.