Helen Young Hayes

Helen Young Hayes
Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Helen Young Hayes is the founder and CEO of Activate Workforce Solutions PBC. Activate's mission is to help diverse 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 sustained economic and professional mobility, Activate creates triple wins for jobseekers, employers, and the community.

Helen is a 20-year veteran of the financial industry. She was the portfolio manager of the flagship Janus Worldwide Fund, Janus Overseas Fund, and related assets totaling approximately $50 billion at Janus Capital, a mutual fund company headquartered in Denver, Colorado. She also served as Managing Director of Investments, heading up the 100-person research and investment arm of Janus Capital, encompassing equities, fixed income, money market, and trading.

In 2018, Helen was selected as one of the Denver Business Journal's Outstanding Women in Business, for her leadership at Activate Workforce Solutions. Helen is the author and executive sponsor of the Colorado Inclusive Economy Movement, a CEO-led movement to build a community of shared opportunity and prosperity. Helen is a governor-appointee to the Colorado Business Experiential Learning Commission and is a member of the American Enterprise Institute’s Leadership Network.

Helen is a frequent speaker and writer on topics including workforce development, corporate social responsibility, employee engagement, corporate culture, performance management, diversity and gender issues, economic development, and economic mobility.

Helen, her husband Matt, and her family have called Denver home for 30 years. Helen is an avid albeit average athlete and enjoys biking, swimming, running, skiing, and surfing.