Per Scholas CEO Named to Results for America’s Inaugural Nonprofit Fellowship Program

Plinio Ayala Among 15 Nonprofit CEOs from Across the Country for Two-Year Fellowship Focused on Embracing What Works 

New York (December 15, 2016) – Per Scholas President and CEO Plinio Ayala was selected by Results for America (RFA), a national nonprofit working with decision-makers at all levels of government to harness the power of evidence and data to make progress on the world’s greatest challenges, for a two-year fellowship. The Fellowship will capture the collective experiences, insights and recommendations of well-respected nonprofit chief executives committed to advancing evidence-based solutions to better inform public policy and improve the impact of public investments. As part of RFA’s inaugural class of Nonprofit Fellows, Ayala will join 14 other dynamic nonprofit chief executives to create a community of nonprofit peers committed to driving large-scale systemic reform.

“Per Scholas has been able to train and prepare more than 6,000 individuals from often overlooked communities for careers in tech, in large part to Plinio’s leadership and vision for change in the workforce development space,” said Michelle Pullaro, chief administrative officer, Per Scholas. “There is no one more deserving of a place in Results for America’s Inaugural Nonprofit Fellowship program than our President and CEO Plinio Ayala.”

As a participant in RFA’s Nonprofit Fellowship, Ayala will have an opportunity to collaborate with other nonprofits on best practices for building and using evidence in order to improve workforce development programs and provide an example to policymakers at all levels.

“Every day, these dynamic chief executives, and the organizations they lead, are harnessing evidence to improve lives, open opportunity and tackle our most pressing challenges,” said Michele Jolin, Co-founder and CEO of Results for America. “Through this Fellowship, we will help bridge the gap between the important evidence-based work being done by these nonprofits in communities across the country and the policymakers who represent those communities. We are honored to have these leaders join our Nonprofit Fellowship, and I thank them for helping us make investing in what works the new normal.”

Per Scholas, trains individuals with necessary skills to thrive in technology careers in the technology-driven, 21st century economy. Through rigorous and tuition-free technology training and professional development, Per Scholas has helped thousands of individuals who are unemployed or underemployed launch successful careers in technology, while creating real onramps to businesses in need of their talents.

Results for America will work with the Nonprofit Fellows to develop and strengthen their organizations’ capacity to shape public policy at all levels of government. Together, RFA and the Fellows will develop and promote policy recommendations at all levels of government that can shift taxpayer dollars toward evidence-based, results-driven solutions. Results for America will provide opportunities to highlight examples of effective evidence-based solutions, and through six two-day convenings, RFA will also facilitate the sharing of best practices for building evidence and scaling evidence-based interventions.

The 15 Nonprofit Fellows include:

  • Plinio Ayala, President and Chief Executive Officer, Per Scholas
  • Molly Baldwin, Founder and Chief Executive Officer, ROCA
  • Robert Balfanz, PhD, Chief Executive Officer, Diplomas Now
  • Pamela Cantor, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, Turnaround for Children
  • Sam Cobbs, Chief Executive Officer, First Place for Youth
  • Dale Erquiaga, Chief Executive Officer, Communities in Schools
  • Ed Foster-Simeon, President and Chief Executive Officer, U.S. Soccer Foundation
  • Lauren Gilbert, President and Chief Strategy Officer, BELL
  • Virgil Jones, Jr., Chief Executive Officer, Bottom Line
  • Pat Lawler, Chief Executive Officer, Youth Villages
  • Mary Marx, President and Chief Executive Officer, PACE Center for Girls, Inc.
  • Richard Noriega, President and Chief Executive Officer, AVANCE
  • Sam Schaeffer, Chief Executive Officer, Center for Employment Opportunities 
  • Eshauna Smith, Chief Executive Officer, Urban Alliance
  • Elisabeth Stock, Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, PowerMyLearning

Learn more about the Nonprofit Fellowship here.

About Results for America

Results for America is helping decision-makers at all levels of government harness the power of evidence and data to make progress on the world’s greatest challenges. Our mission is to make investing in what works the “new normal,” so that when policymakers make decisions, they start by seeking the best evidence and data available, then use what they find to get better results. 

Results for America is accelerating the use of evidence and data to get better results by: creating standards of excellence that highlight the government infrastructure necessary to invest in what works; supporting policymakers committed to investing in what works through tools, resources and technical assistance; and mobilizing champions committed to investing in what works. For more information about Results for America, click here.

About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national nonprofit that drives positive and proven social change in communities across the country. Through rigorous and tuition-free technology training and professional development, Per Scholas prepares motivated and curious adults who are un- or underemployed for transformative careers in the tech sector, while creating onramps to businesses in need of their talents. Per Scholas provides its solution in six cities across the country: Atlanta, GA; Greater Cincinnati, OH; Columbus, OH; Dallas, TX; the National Capital Region; and New York, NY. To date, Per Scholas has trained over 6,000 individuals, helping them build lasting, life-changing careers in technology. For more information, visit perscholas.org Twitter @PerScholas and Facebook.

Full press release can be found here.

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