Staff
Joey Mak
Chief Executive Officer
Joey Mak is the CEO at Chicago:Blend and has worked in community and economic development for more than two decades, most recently as the head of programs at the Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce, where he launched the organization's workforce training program, led their DEI efforts, and spearheaded their COVID-19 Economic Recovery Task Force.
He has extensive experience launching new programs and managing private and government grants. From 2018-23, Joey served on the board of the Chinese Mutual Aid Association, a social services agency assisting low-income immigrants. He is a member of the Economic Club of Chicago and was recognized on the "40 Under 40" list by Crain's Chicago Business in 2023.
Salvador Dueñas
Senior Director of Programs
Salvador Dueñas is the Senior Director of Programs at Chicago:Blend, where he leads the Chicago:Blend Venture Fellowship, a program dedicated to helping underrepresented, aspiring VCs break into the industry. Under his leadership, 81% of fellows actively applying to VC roles have secured positions in the industry.
Before joining Chicago:Blend, Sal was the Senior Startups Manager at Future Founders, where he ran accelerator programs to help underrepresented founders achieve product-market fit. During his tenure, startups in the program collectively generated over $300 million in revenue and created more than 1,700 jobs. In 2021, Sal was named on the "25 Under 25" list by Chicago Inno.