Archie L. Jones, Jr., Founder of NxGen COACH Network; Roger Nicholson, Senior Vice President, Service Operations at Insperity; Ann Ostrander, Senior Director, Risk Management at Kirkland & Ellis LLP; Meeghan Prunty, Founder and Principal at PE Strategic Partners; and Genesys Works Alumna Michelle Villagran to Join the National Board
Houston, TX, May 1, 2024 — Genesys Works, a national youth career readiness program for students in underserved communities, announced today five new members of its National Board of Directors.
The new members are:
- Archie L. Jones, Jr., Founder of NxGen COACH Network, a global leadership development firm, as well as a member of The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) and a Professor/Senior Lecturer at Harvard Business School.
- Roger Nicholson, Senior Vice President, Service Operations at Insperity, which provides human resources and administrative services to small and medium-sized businesses.
- Ann Ostrander, Senior Director, Risk Management at Kirkland & Ellis LLP, a global law firm that serves a broad range of clients in corporate transactions, litigation, restructurings and intellectual property matters.
- Meeghan Prunty, Founder and Principal at PE Strategic Partners, an advisory firm offering experienced leadership and thought partnership for philanthropic families and foundations, social service nonprofits, and policymakers.
- Michelle Villagran, Genesys Works alumna and Primavera Unifier Implementation Specialist at Westland Management Solutions.
(Bottom: From L to R) Meeghan Prunty, Michelle Villagran
They will help drive Genesys Works’ strategic growth plan, significantly extending the program’s reach and impact. Over the next five years, Genesys Works will triple the number of students served in existing and new markets.
“Our new board members will broaden our National Board’s depth of expertise in several key industries and skill areas, including entrepreneurship, risk and compliance, fund development, and human capital management,” said Jeffrey Artis, Genesys Works President and CEO. “Their guidance and commitment to equal opportunity for young people will enable us to reach even more students and provide them with the resources for long-term career success.”
Genesys Works has served over 11,000 students to date and currently partners with high schools and over 200 companies in seven cities across the country. The nonprofit has a proven track record of connecting young people to higher education and livable-wage careers, as evidenced by its outcomes. More than 90% of participants enroll in college. Program alumni earn a median income of $60,000 per year six years after high school and are three times more likely to graduate with a bachelor’s degree than peers from their communities.
About Genesys Works
Genesys Works provides pathways to career success for high school students in underserved communities. Our program consists of 8 weeks of technical and professional skills training, paid year-long corporate internships, college and career coaching, and long-term alumni support to move individuals out of economic inequality and into professional careers. Founded in 2002, Genesys Works now serves thousands of students annually in Houston, Chicago, Minneapolis/St. Paul, the San Francisco Bay Area, Washington’s National Capital Region, New York City, and Tulsa. To learn more, visit genesysworks.org.
Contact: Mona Tolbert 832.409.8006; mtolbert@genesysworks.org
