Per Scholas is proud to announce the appointment of Victor De La Paz as the Chief Financial and Administrative Officer of our national operations.

In this new role on our National Leadership Team, Victor will be accountable for the Fiscal, HR Administration, IT & Operations/Facilities Teams and will support Per Scholas with key strategic financial decisions with the Board of Directors, funders, and partners. “His broad-based experience and acumen, as well as his dedication to educational excellence, will ensure that he will be a terrific member of our organization, and will help support Per Scholas with key strategic and financial decisions as we continue to grow and expand our mission,” stated Per Scholas President and CEO, Plinio Ayala.

Victor comes to Per Scholas from The Peace Corps where he was appointed by the White House to serve as the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). Previously, Victor held CFO roles across notable educational institutions including Achievement First, New Haven Public Schools, Baltimore City Public Schools, and Hartford Public Schools, in addition to his work as an Adjunct Professor at the Yale School of Management. In addition, Victor sat on the Board of Directors for the Education Leaders of Color (EdLoC).  “When I made the career switch to Education, I felt immediately connected to the customer and what they want for themselves and their families,” Victor reflected.  “I think Per Scholas is the kind of organization that gets that and wants to create a positive trajectory for people. I am excited to join this team and meet everyone over time.”

Victor holds an MBA from the University of Virginia Darden School of Management and a Bachelor’s Degree from Rutgers University. He lives in Wethersfield Connecticut with his wife Jennifer, 8-year-old Victoria, and 3-year-old Adrian. We are very pleased to welcome Victor to Per Scholas and grow from his experience and expertise!

Columbus, Ohio (July 28, 2021) – Noah Mitchell has been promoted to Managing Director of Per Scholas’s Columbus, Ohio campus, the national nonprofit announced today. 

Launched in 2012, Per Scholas Columbus has trained more than 800 individuals in a variety of technology courses, ranging from IT Support to Cybersecurity, Java Developer and beyond. More than 80 percent of Per Scholas Columbus graduates are currently working for Columbus-area businesses in technology roles at companies including TEKsystems, Nationwide, and Sage.  

“For me, it always comes down to our learners. I’m so proud of the way Per Scholas creates pathways that our learners can sprint through, creating opportunities to be the very best, and collaborating with our greater Columbus community to make an even bigger impact on the lives of individuals, their families, and our community,” said Noah Mitchell, Managing Director, Per Scholas Columbus. “Diversity, equity, and inclusion is very important to me, as well as to Per Scholas. Whenever we can eliminate barriers for people, it’s a worthwhile endeavor.” 

Noah has held a variety of positions with Per Scholas before this most recent promotion, including Site Director, Director of Strategic Partnerships & Learner Experience, and Manager of Career Advancement. He will lead a team of 12 Columbus-based staff and is currently hiring a Senior Manager of Recruitment and Admissions. 

With several IT Support courses underway, Per Scholas Columbus is actively recruiting learners for its next IT Support cohort, scheduled to start September 20. Applications are due September 9, and interested individuals can learn more here. Per Scholas’s Columbus campus is located downtown, at 112 Jefferson Avenue. 

To learn more about Per Scholas Columbus, visit www.PerScholas.org/Columbus.

About Per Scholas

Per Scholas is a national organization that has been advancing economic mobility for 25 years. Through rigorous training, professional development, and robust employer connections, we prepare individuals traditionally underrepresented in technology for high-growth careers in the industry. We partner with leading employers to build more diverse talent pools, directly connecting our graduates to new career opportunities at businesses ranging from Fortune 500 companies to innovative startups. With campuses in 17 cities, Per Scholas has trained more than 14,000 individuals in tech skills, building bridges to careers in technology. To learn more, visit PerScholas.org.

The past year has shown how resilient and focused Per Scholas is as we pulled through the COVID-19 pandemic building our team and growing throughout.  To strategically scale our organization, we are excited to announce the appointment of Michelle Pullaro to Chief Operating Officer this month.  Michelle’s leadership and experience has been instrumental in Per Scholas’ success with her serving as our Chief Administrative Officer since 2015 and also having held a variety of leadership roles across our Marketing, Development, Program, and Computer Access teams from 2002 – 2007.  

In her new role, Michelle will focus on overseeing the operations of both the Customized & Market Driven Training while continuing to lead the strategic growth aspects of our business including: Diverse by Design, Expansion, People, Project Management & Marketing. Michelle will also continue to oversee different teams within our organization.  “Throughout this journey, Michelle has remained a trusted and valued leader. Someone whom I can always depend upon, and with whom I remain humbled to work alongside,” said our President and CEO, Plinio Ayala. 

Prior to Per Scholas, Michelle held prominent leadership roles in nonprofit management consulting firms and has also spent time leading teams in the private sector. She holds an MBA in Marketing & Nonprofit Management from Baruch College and a Bachelor of Arts in Economic, Political Science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Since her time with Per Scholas, Michelle has been an integral part of our team and key strategic and thought leader.  We are confident and optimistic about Per Scholas’ future with Michelle in this new role.

Abe Mendez, Managing Director, Per Scholas New York, was featured in Crain’s New York Business “Notable in Nonprofits and Philanthropy” list. See what they had to say about Abe below, and head to Crain’s New York Business to see the entire list.

Animated by the belief that a prosperous workforce begins with equitable education access, Per Scholas gives free tech training to individuals from communities underrepresented in the technology sector. Abe Mendez, managing director of the New York chapter, is the man behind its regional strategy, fundraising and learner recruitment. Mendez’s dedication to his team truly came to light during the pandemic, when he worked to ensure staff members had the necessary equipment to work remotely and developed safety protocols to protect those who wanted to work on-site. Mendez has served as a driving force behind Per Scholas’ efforts to connect communities hit hard by Covid-19 with economic opportunities in the tech space.