Jen Mendoza
Executive Director
Jen Mendoza is a community leader, entrepreneur, and advocate whose career and personal journey have been dedicated to empowering individuals and strengthening communities through wellness, education, and connection. As Executive Director of The Aura Foundation, she leads with a commitment to expanding access to holistic healing, mental health, leadership development, and economic opportunity.
Her passion for trauma informed and inclusive spaces is rooted in lived experience and a deep understanding of how personal healing and community care intersect. These experiences have shaped her belief that when people feel seen, supported, and resourced, they are better able to rise beyond their circumstances and create meaningful change.
Jen holds a Master’s in Liberal Studies with a focus on Multicultural Studies from North Central College and a Bachelor’s in Anthropology and International Studies from Loyola University Chicago. Her professional background includes leadership and community engagement roles with the Better Business Bureau, World Relief, the Promotional Professionals Association of Chicago, and most recently as CEO of the Aurora Regional Chamber of Commerce, where she championed small business growth and community development.
She is the Founder of InspiHER, a platform that brings women together to align mind, body, and business. She was also the Co-Founder of LeadHER, a civic and professional leadership program for women, and the Co-Founder of Moms4Moms, a nonprofit that supported women-owned businesses through community-based programming. Jen currently serves as the Director of Holistic Events and Community Partnerships at Aura Holistic Wellness and as the Community Outreach Director for Women Entrepreneurs Secrets of Success.
Jen is deeply committed to youth development and community service as the Founding President of the Kiwanis Club of Greater Fox Valley Area and a current Executive Board Member of the Alive Center.
Her combination of personal experience, education, and proven leadership uniquely position her to guide The Aura Foundation in advancing trauma informed, holistic, and empowerment focused programming that supports healthier, stronger, and more connected communities.
A Chicago native, Jen has called Aurora home for the past sixteen years, where she and her husband of fifteen years are raising their three children. Outside of work, she enjoys family road trips and exploring national and state parks.