Helen Young Hayes is the founder and CEO of Activate Workforce Solutions PBC. Activate’s mission is to help under-served individuals achieve their fullest potential through the dignity of work. Activate is the culmination
of Helen’s past for-profit and nonprofit experience–harnessing the power of the marketplace to achieve profound social impact. By moving individuals to self-sufficiency, Activate creates triple wins for employers,
placements, and the community. Helen delights in spotting the hidden potential in the unsung talents of the individuals she serves at Activate.

The daughter of Chinese immigrants, Helen is a believer in and the embodiment of the American Dream. But the American Dream–a life of flourishing–is elusive, as generational poverty becomes the default for too many men and women from underrepresented populations. Activate bridges the gap between individual potential and realized success through matching and placing individuals into self-sustaining careers and through intensive
coaching of personal, professional and financial skills. Activate seeks not only to advance economic and professional success but to transform lives through the learning and mastery of new habits, mindsets and
disciplines.