Janessa Calderon: Business booster

Business booster

Janessa Calderon

Age: 27

Title: Executive Director

Name of Organization: Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce

Calderon is the youngest Latina to lead the organization. The Greater Quad Cities Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is a nonprofit, membership-driven organization that includes businesses, nonprofit organizations, educational institutions and individuals of any background in the greater Quad Cities region within its membership.

Calderon is a lifelong resident of the Midwest and graduated in 2019 from the master of organizational leadership program at St. Ambrose University College of Business. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in strategic communication from St. Ambrose University.

Her passion for working with the Latino community began right out of college when she worked as a Hispanic outreach admissions counselor. She found a great community that embraced her culture and welcomed her in.

She now strives to educate others on how beneficial a diversity of race and thought can be for our economy. Calderon has served in several leadership roles for the Hispanic chamber since 2018, beginning as programs and events manager and then becoming membership engagement coordinator.

As executive director, one of her priorities is to be the hub of resources for the chamber’s business members. Calderon strives to be the point of contact whom members can trust with their business needs.

Another of her goals is to enhance the reach of the Hispanic chamber in the community and begin different forms of partnership that will help the Quad Cities work in unison.

Calderon volunteers throughout the community in the Leader mentorship program and other women-empowering networking groups. Under the Hispanic chamber she sits on the CEO community diversity, equity and inclusion advisory committee for Genesis Hospital, the diversity and equity committee for UnityPoint Health-Trinity, the Quad Cities COVID-19 Coalition group, and is an active board member for Q2030.

“Being a leader in your community comes in different forms. A leader is not a title, it is anyone who takes initiative towards change for the greater good.”