Coach Dora reflects on her nomination for the 2026 Extraordinary Latinas Award, exploring what it means to amplify voices and build courageous, compassionate leadership communities that combat isolation at the top.
Verified Member
Influential Woman · Career coaching and human resources consulting
Dora Mendez
MPA
Founder & CEO, Coach Dora LLC
Garnerville, NY 10923
2Years experience
1Article published
“
I stopped assuming 'the way we've always done it' meant it was working for everyone. Asking who gets left out of a tradition is often the first act of courageous leadership.
Dora Mendez · In Her Own Words
Her Story
About Dora
Dora Mendez is a career coach, human resources executive, and inclusive leadership strategist dedicated to helping professionals and organizations lead with courage, authenticity, and purpose. As the founder and CEO of Coach Dora LLC, she provides career coaching, HR consulting, executive coaching, and leadership development services that empower emerging leaders, mid-career professionals, and mission-driven organizations to navigate change and thrive in an evolving workplace. Drawing on more than a decade of executive human resources and diversity leadership experience, Dora combines strategic expertise with a people-first approach to foster inclusive, high-performing workplace cultures.
Prior to launching her coaching and consulting practice, Dora served as Vice President of Human Resources and Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer, where she championed organizational transformation, talent development, and inclusive leadership initiatives. She earned a Master of Public Administration from John Jay College of Criminal Justice at the City University of New York and has spent more than 15 years as an adjunct professor, teaching public management, human resources, and business courses. A respected thought leader, Dora is the host of the Building Leadership Community podcast, which spotlights women, entrepreneurs, community leaders, and professionals of color creating meaningful social impact. She is also an accomplished author who has contributed chapters to Latinas Rising Up in HR and recently secured a book deal with Productivity Press to publish a leadership textbook for her students.
Dora is deeply committed to serving her community and advancing opportunities for others. She serves on the board of Sinergia, supporting children with developmental disabilities, and is an active member of organizations including United Latinas and Latinas Rising Up in HR. She attributes her success to gratitude, resilience, and the unwavering support of her family. Guided by values of authenticity, courageous leadership, and compassion, Dora encourages young professionals—especially women—to invest in their future by contributing to their retirement savings early, embracing continuous learning, and becoming the kind of leader they aspire to follow.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Dora
01What do you attribute your success to?
Gratitude and support from my family.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Don't take advice because people often share from a place of their own fears - Dr. Danielle Lee Cox
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Be the leader that you want to be. Contribute to your 401k as soon as you enter the workforce.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
Fear and myths around AI in the workforce.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Authenticity, courageous and compassionate leadership, staying true to yourself, and leading with empathy.
Her Content Hub
Articles by Dora
2026 Extraordinary Latinas Award Nominee — Amplifying Voices 🎉
Celebrating Recognition for Amplifying Voices in Courageous, Compassionate Leadership
I received a message that stopped me in my tracks: I had been nominated for the 2026 Extraordinary Latinas Award by United Latinas in the Amplifying Voices category.
I want to sit with that for a second because it caught me off guard in the best possible way.
I didn't set out to build Coach Dora LLC so I could be recognized. I built it because I spent more than 20 years inside organizations—as a VP of HR, a Chief DEI Officer, and someone who sat in the rooms where decisions about people's careers and well-being were made—and I kept seeing the same thing: leaders who were capable, well-intentioned, and completely alone.
Nobody tells you how isolating leadership can be. Nobody hands you a script for how to be courageous and compassionate and inclusive all at once, especially when the pressure is on.
That's the whole reason the Building Leadership Community Podcast exists. Our tagline says it plainly: "It can be lonely at the top, but it doesn't have to be." Every episode, every coaching session, and every HR strategy I develop with a client organization is my attempt to make that true for someone.
So, when I learned the nomination came from Sammie Walker Herrera—someone whose work amplifying voices I deeply respect—it carried even greater meaning. This wasn't a stranger checking a box. It was someone who has watched the work up close, choosing to say, "I see what you're doing, and I want more people to see it too."
That's what amplifying voices actually looks like in practice. It's not a hashtag. It's someone using their platform, credibility, and reach to ensure another person's work doesn't remain unseen. Sammie did that for me. I hope, in some way, my work does the same for the leaders and clients I have the privilege of serving every day.
She was a fantastic guest on the podcast, and if you haven't already, I'd love for you to spend some time with her episode:
Watch Sammie's episode on YouTube →
https://youtu.be/0xxAz7jg7J0?si=rNEZgDrd49GOl29z
What This Nomination Means to Me
I keep coming back to the mission that has guided Coach Dora LLC from day one: enriching people, culture, wellness, and joy. Not just performance. Not just metrics. The whole person—and the entire organization that surrounds them.
Courageous, compassionate, and inclusive leadership isn't a trend I'm chasing. It's the approach I believe truly works, long after the latest leadership trend has faded. It's harder to practice than it is to talk about. It asks leaders to be honest when it's uncomfortable, to hold people accountable while also supporting them with care, and to build cultures where differences aren't merely tolerated but genuinely valued.
If this nomination means anything beyond having my name on a list, I hope it signals that this approach is resonating. I hope it means more organizations recognize that people shouldn't have to choose between being led well and being led honestly.
Join Me on October 14
The winners will be announced during the United Latinas Hispanic Heritage Month Virtual Event on October 14, and I'd love nothing more than to have this community there with me—whether I win or not.
This nomination already feels like a victory in the ways that matter most: being seen by someone whose work I admire and having the opportunity to say all of this out loud.
Register to join the event live online →
https://lp.constantcontactpages.com/ev/reg/fhzuku6/lp/3d413e92-af4d-416e-92a9-391b04a30010
Thank you to United Latinas for this recognition.
Thank you, Sammie, for the nomination.
And thank you for being part of this community—for reading, listening, and building alongside me.
If you enjoyed this, I share weekly reflections on courageous, compassionate, and inclusive leadership on Substack. I'd love to have you join me there.
Coach Dora Mendez | Substack
https://substack.com/@coachdoram
It can be lonely at the top—but not today.
—Coach Dora
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