Juan Mendez grew up in East Palo Alto, where he attended Ravenswood District Schools before graduating from Phoenix Academy. Mendez joined the Nuestra Casa board in 2020 because of his commitment to issues that affect our community—affordable housing, financial literacy, sustainable communities, and high-quality education. No stranger to nonprofits, Mendez has worked in various roles at One East Palo Alto, Rising Sun Energy Center, and Attitudinal Healing Connection. Mendez firmly believes that nonprofit organizations like Nuestra Casa are the backbone to the success of many cities.

Mendez returned to East Palo Alto after graduating college. During the past few years, he’s demonstrated a significant commitment to his community by running for City Council and currently serves as a Planning Commissioner for the City of East Palo Alto.

Juan is a dedicated urban planner and community advocate with deep roots in East Palo Alto. A proud first-generation college graduate, he earned his Master’s in Urban and Regional Planning from San José State University in 2024 and a B.S. in Legal Studies with a minor in Public Policy from the University of California, Berkeley in 2020. Juan currently serves as a Program Associate at EPACANDO, where he supports initiatives focused on building ADUs and sustainable communities. 

In his spare time, he mentors college students, enjoys reading, and spends quality time with his family. Connect with Juan on LinkedIn.