Drawing on more than 10 years of experience in mechanical design, Juanita joined Pepper's High Performance team based on a shared commitment to improve people's quality of life through the built world. Her work has been informed by her study of psychology, human rights, and massage therapy, which allows her to incorporate a well-rounded health and wellness perspective into the built environment. In 2009, she was one of the first people to earn the U.S. Green Building Council's LEED Accredited Professional credential with the specialization in Building Design and Construction. Juanita hosts Shades of Green Chicago, a podcast highlighting the stories of environmentalists of color. Juanita's contributions to the Chicago sustainability community include leading education programming for the Chicago Hub of the Carbon Leadership Forum and serving as Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the WasteShed, a nonprofit that diverts material from landfills for creative reuse and education. She is also on the advisory council of Environmentalists of Color.