Rebeca Herrera

I’m Rebeca Herrera, Director of Membership Development at the Emporia Area Chamber of Commerce, where I champion local businesses and lead initiatives that empower underserved entrepreneurs. I founded Mi Negocio Academy, a bilingual program created in partnership with the Small Business Development Center, which has helped dozens of Spanish-speaking entrepreneurs turn their ideas into sustainable, thriving businesses.

In my role, I also work closely with attorneys, CPAs, loan officers, Kansas Works, and the SBA to ensure new and existing business owners have access to the critical resources they need to succeed. My approach is built on collaboration, access, and equity—because I believe a stronger Kansas starts with empowered communities.

I serve as Vice Chair of Newman Regional Health, Chair of Emporia Spanish Speakers, and Chair of House of Morrow nonprofit organizations. These roles reflect my deep commitment to bridging economic development with human impact across multiple sectors.

With a Bachelor’s degree in Theology, fluency in four languages, and over a decade of nonprofit and program leadership experience, I bring a values-driven and strategic lens to ecosystem building. In 2023, I was honored with the Leader of the Year Award for Diversity from the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development and the Bridge Building Innovation Award with Emporia Spanish Speakers.

As part of the Kansas delegation to GEC 2025, I look forward to representing the voices of Kansas entrepreneurs—especially those too often left out of opportunity. I hope to bring back global insights, scalable strategies, and new partnerships that can help strengthen our statewide business community for generations to come