A key turning point for my career came in 2013 when I was given the opportunity to mentor a young adult from the Year Up program. This experience shifted my thinking about what early-career talent looks like. Seeing firsthand that gap between talented young adults looking to launch their careers and nonexistent career opportunities is what drives me today to ensure I’m connecting forward–thinking companies with skilled, historically excluded talent.Now, as Chief Delivery Officer at YUPRO Placement, I’m leading one of SIA’s Fastest-Growing US Staffing Firms (2021, 2022, & 2023) and ClearlyRated’s Best in Staffing Client Satisfaction (for 4 consecutive years) that champions sourcing, recruiting, retaining, and advancing historically excluded talent and one that is dedicated to partnering with employers of all sizes. Having worked with half of the Fortune 500, YUPRO Placement is a staffing partner committed to simplifying the hiring process, providing a clear path forward, and taking the heavy lifting off employers’ shoulders to achieve results like better retention, greater diversity, and a more skilled workforce.A few of the ways we partner with employers is through our Skills-to-Staff™ Professional Apprenticeship contract hiring solution — designed to help employers establish a results-driven, on-the-job learning program by filling in-demand roles with already skilled professionals that we upskill to align with an organization’s growth.We also recently launched a new, no-fee job board, which provides employers with direct access to recent Year Up graduates who are skilled and ready to work. I’m passionate about preparing the next generation of workers to be successful and supporting companies seeking to build diverse and inclusive workplaces. I currently serve as the Program Chair for the ASA’s Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Access (IDEA) Council and work to bring awareness and mentorship to the industry on socially impactful topics. I am a Gallup-Certified Strengths Coach, MBTI-Certified Practitioner, was named to the 2024 SIA DE&I Influencer list, Pride Global’s list of Trailblazing Women in 2022, and made the SIA 40 Under 40 list in 2021. Have a question about skills-based hiring? Send me a message or check out my recent posts to learn more about YUPRO Placement.