Michelle De La Isla bridges the tech talent gap through inclusivity

Michelle De La Isla, CEO of Hack.Diversity, is committed to empowering young people from underrepresented communities to succeed in the tech industry. Her personal journey, marked by resilience and gratitude, includes overcoming homelessness and single motherhood, serving as mayor, and graduating from Harvard. In this episode of the Women on the Move podcast, with host Sam Saperstein, Michelle shares her story and vision for Hack.Diversity.

 

Raised by her grandparents after her mother fled to Puerto Rico, Michelle's life has been shaped by those who believed in her potential. She married, graduated from Wichita State University, and moved to Topeka, KS where she became involved with organizations like the Mexican American Women's National Association, advocating for Latina women. She co-founded a mentorship conference to inspire young women of color to pursue higher education.

 

Michelle's civic engagement led her to the Topeka City Council and eventually to the mayor's office, where she served during challenging times, including the COVID pandemic. Encouraged by her daughter, she ran for mayor and won. After her term, she pursued further education at Harvard and transitioned to a venture philanthropy role in Cambridge, MA.

 

In September 2023, Michelle became CEO of Hack.Diversity, an organization that bridges the gap between tech firms and overlooked talent. The organization offers fellowships to individuals who have the skills to succeed in tech but lack connections. The program empowers fellows with training and partners with host companies to improve inclusivity.

 

Disclaimer: The speakers’ opinions belong to them and may differ from opinions of JPMorgan Chase & Co. and its affiliates. Views presented on this podcast are those of the speakers; they are as of December 17^th , 2024 and they may not materialize.