Upcoming Event
Free Newsletter
Helen Young Hayes
ColoradoBiz Staff //December 3, 2025//
Helen Young Hayes is the founder and chief executive officer of ActivateWork, a Denver-based nonprofit organization that builds economic mobility by recruiting, training and coaching individuals for technology careers. Drawing on a distinguished background in finance and investment, Hayes has applied her business acumen to solving workforce inequities and creating pathways to prosperity for underrepresented communities across Colorado.
Before founding ActivateWork in 2016, Hayes spent 17 years at Janus Capital, where she served as managing director of investments and portfolio manager, overseeing multi-billion-dollar funds through economic booms and downturns. She later advised Red Rocks Capital and Q Advisors before shifting her focus to social impact.
At ActivateWork, Hayes has built an employer-centric model that aligns training with real business needs. Under her leadership, the organization has helped more than 500 Coloradans enter high-growth technology fields, achieving an average 123% wage increase and an 87% job retention rate after one year. The nonprofit’s innovative approach, combining technical training with professional coaching, equips participants with both the skills and soft competencies essential for long-term success.
Hayes also founded Colorado Inclusive Economy, a CEO-led movement fostering diversity and inclusion across the state. She serves on multiple boards, including the Colorado Springs Chamber & EDC, Catalyst Campus for Technology & Innovation, and the International Women’s Forum.
“Helen is a person of action,” said Kathryn Harris, president and COO of ActivateWork. “She rallies her community to solve real problems for real people.”
Hayes earned her bachelor’s degree in economics from Yale University.
