Empower Work is thrilled to announce that Michelle Pullaro has joined the team as Chief Growth Officer. In this new role, Michelle will oversee core programmatic growth including our text line, training, and partnership work. We welcome Michelle’s strategic leadership at a unique inflection point as we continue scaling our impact to support 3 million workers—marking a bold step towards creating healthy, equitable workplaces where employees are valued, supported, and empowered in ways that support their economic and emotional well-being.

Michelle Pullaro is a visionary, growth-oriented leader with deep experience scaling organizations dedicated to expanding access to opportunity. As COO of Per Scholas, Michelle was instrumental in developing a scalable model that has, over the past decade, increased impact by more than 700%, expanded the organization to quadruple the number of cities served, and cultivated a high-performing team of 600. Her leadership was pivotal in positioning Per Scholas as a national leader in workforce development by fostering collaboration between the business and social sectors. Michelle’s experience also includes serving as Managing Partner of Quidoo, a nonprofit management consulting firm dedicated to ensuring operational excellence and designing scalable models for high-impact organizations. She also served as Executive Director of the Taproot Foundation, leveraging her expertise from a successful career in the private sector.

Reflecting on her next chapter, Michelle remarked, "After over a decade of creating opportunities for thousands of Americans, I can’t imagine a better next step than supporting workers as they navigate the complexities of the workplace. Empower Work’s innovative approach to meeting workers where they are—precisely when they need support—has the potential to create profound and lasting change for the people who are the core of our economy.”

Empower Work is entering a new phase of scaling our impact to reach millions more in need that includes expanding our workforce partnerships, investing in an AI roadmap while remaining human-centered, and deepening our policy, practice, and data work. 

“What a gift to have Michelle’s partnership at this critical growth moment. We have 5+ years of data and insights on what leads to the best outcomes across our text line, training, and partnerships to ensure people not just have stability, but mobility. Michelle’s experience, keen insights, and energy will position us to exponentially expand our reach and impact,” Jaime-Alexis Fowler, founder and executive director, said.

Empower Work is focused on addressing the needs of over 60 million workers in the United States who lack access to vital resources and support for navigating work and career challenges. And the needs of workers across the country are only growing. In 2024, we found that nearly four out of five low- to mid-wage workers are actively looking for work because they’re dissatisfied, underemployed, or unemployed, or experiencing issues such as stress and anxiety, a toxic boss or workplace, or disrespect at work. 

Michelle is an essential part of the next phase of scaling our impact. Her expertise growing organizations effectively and her passion for creating opportunities that lead to meaningful, sustainable employment that supports both mental and economic mobility align perfectly with this moment in expanding our impact. 

About Empower Work

Empower Work is a national nonprofit on a mission to create healthy, equitable workplaces where people are valued, supported, and empowered in ways that support their economic mobility, emotional well-being, and career success. Through our free, confidential text line, we have improved the mental health and economic mobility of over 450,000 historically marginalized workers since launching in 2018. Our services, training programs, and actionable data insights, are driving meaningful change and creating pathways for a more equitable workforce. 

Over 94% of people who use our services report improved mental health and 80% of people report improved financial health. On average, people report an increase of income of about 25%. With the average salaries of those we serve at $37,450, a 25% increase in income equates to about $46,813—this lifts economic well-being by almost $10,000 after our support.