Ballesteros Juana

Juana Ballesteros

Founder, La Villita Chicago LLC

Juana Ballesteros is an equity champion and servant leader with over two decades of experience across healthcare, nonprofit, and state government sectors, driving health equity, social impact, and strategic community outreach. Raised in Chicago’s Little Village, her lived experience fuels a career rooted in advocacy and empowerment for marginalized communities. Juana has led multi-million-dollar programs, built cross-sector collaborations, and advanced community-led solutions addressing issues from HIV/AIDS and mental health to maternal health and economic development. Her work has generated measurable benefits including health career pathways, jobs, housing, and small business growth.  

As founder of La Villita Chicago LLC, Juana partners with collaborations addressing systemic injustices.  Prior to this, Juana served with the Center for Health Equity at the American Medical Association (AMA). Prior to AMA, Juana served seven years with the Illinois Department of Public Health, contributing to the state's COVID-19 response efforts. A Leadership Greater Chicago fellow, Juana holds degrees in Nursing and Public Health from UIC and has earned numerous honors, including the Health Equity Advocacy Alumni Award.