Commissioners
Richard Juarez Sr.
Richard Juarez Sr.
Richard Juarez Sr. is a lifelong La Villita resident. Richard and his wife Anita have been married for 30 years and have three children, whom each have started a family of their own in La Villita.
“My entire family remains in La Villita because of our love for the community and a shared sense of responsibility to make our environment a better place to live and work.”
Richard works as Director of Long-term Services and Support at Lawndale Christian Health Center. Previously, for 17 years, he was Deputy Director of Senior Services and Employment Training Programs at Casa Central Social Services. In addition, Richard has been actively engaged in various agencies that seek to improve the health & wellness of residents in underserved communities.
- City of Chicago Age-Friendly Advisory Commission
- Coalition of Limited English-Speaking Elderly, former Vice Chairman
- Illinois Department on Aging’s Community Care Program Advisory Committee (CCPAC)
- Little Village Chamber of Commerce Special Service Area # 25, Commissioner
- La Villita Community Church, Administrative Chairman
- Lawndale Christian Health Center, former Vice Chairman
- St. Augustine College, former Adjunct Faculty
- UIC Mid-American Regional Public Health Leadership Institute, Fellow
Ric Porrez
Ric Porrez is the Vice President and Manager of the new Wintrust Bank in Little Village that opened in the 4th quarter of 2019. Ric has worked in little Village for over 10 years at different financial institutions. Ric is a past -Chairperson of the SSA#25 and was part of the original group that revamped the Bylaws to comply with changing requirements of the City of Chicago.
Mr. Porrez is married and a proud father of 2 accomplished girls, a lifelong Cubs fan, and a 22 year veteran of the financial services business. Ric has been part of little Village in one form or another from being an individual contributor during parades or being out front and center supporting civic changes to better the community.
Elena Duran
Elena Duran has been a resident of the Little Village Community for 45 years. She has been involved in different endeavors. She was a local school council member for the elementary school her children attended; elected the District School 5 Council President; encompass 50 schools, and the City Wide Council. A former member of the Dr. Jorge Prieto Health Center, Elena was part of the team that worked to expand services and facilities to provide family practice care in the Little Village neighborhood. With a group of five parents and the ACLU worked to see that the City of Chicago and other city agencies follow on their commitment to build the new school for the students of the Chicago High School for the Agricultural Sciences. Elena was a member of home town associations and with Mexican governmental officials; promoted opportunities in Zacatecas and other states for a better quality of life for their residents through programs and educational grants. She also has been a member of Enlace Chicago since its inception; working with the leadership to see the construction of the Little Village High School and other programs.
Commissioner of the Service Area #26 since the beginning and she is a new business owner of Artesanias Elena; Elena is officially retired, but she continues working as a interpreter/translator and is active in her parish Epiphany. Married to her husband Ernesto for 45 years, Elena has four sons, Ernesto Jr., Tarsicio, Jaime and Edgar and one grandson.
Mike Moreno Jr.
Mike Moreno Jr. is the owner and operator of Moreno’s Liquors & Osito’s Tap in the Little Village neighborhood of Chicago. With a passion for community service and a love for his community. his goal is to help bring more tourism and business to the Little Village corridor.
Claudia Rodriguez
Claudia Rodriguez
Claudia is a strategic thinker who understands the power at the intersection of policy and politics; she takes a highly organized approach to her work, carefully managing the process to achieve results. Her outreach and policy experience has focused on issues from economic development to public health, where she has advised clients on the most effective ways to implement community affairs programs to support legislative and regulatory approvals at the local, state, and federal levels. She has advocated in the Illinois General Assembly, coordinating legislative hearings and testimony and conducting direct engagements with state lawmakers.
As SSA #25 Commissioner of the Little Village Special Service Area representing her family’s business, Claudia advocates for access to resources on behalf of small businesses. In addition, she focuses on highlighting the rich culture and entrepreneurial spirit of the Little Village business community.
Claudia serves as Chief of Public Affairs for the Noble Network of Charter Schools, overseeing the network's communications, government, and community affairs strategy. She previously served as Executive Director of the Illinois Beverage Association, leading the organization toward successfully repealing the Cook County beverage tax. Prior to that, she worked as a legislative aide to the chairman of the Committee on Health and Environmental Protection, conducting research and assisting committee members and the Office of the Mayor with policy introduction.
Claudia is a lifelong Chicagoan from Little Village. She is a current board member of the Mexican Civic Society of Illinois and, in 2016, was named one of Negocios Now Latinos 40 under 40 and one of Los 26 de la 26 in 2022. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Journalism from DePaul University and a Master’s in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University.
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