Hack.Diversity has undergone some big changes over the last two years —and Tuesday the nonprofit announced it had hired Michelle De La Isla as its new chief executive officer.
The organization was founded in 2016 as a program within the New England Venture Capital Association to provide career and interview coaching to Black and Latino tech fellows and help them secure internships at local companies.
In early 2022, Hack.Diversity spun out into its own 501(c)3 organization. Jody Rose, who served as NEVCA’s president and co-founder of Hack.Diversity, left the venture capital group to lead the new nonprofit. Within a year, Rose had stepped down from her role, citing a desire to be more present at home and focus on her board roles, and a leadership search began.
In the announcement, De La Isla said Hack.Diversity’s mission connected with her personal and professional experience.
“Too often we see education and career and make assumptions about who people are — it took me eight years to get my bachelor’s degree as a single mom while overcoming homelessness,” De La Isla said. “My story is similar and all too familiar to many of our fellows. Hack.Diversity’s work has and will continue to open doors for many Black and Latinx individuals who are working to overcome deeply-rooted barriers. I’m so proud to lead this organization into its next chapter.”
Prior to Hack.Diversity, De La Isla was the managing director of Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation and the diversity and inclusion representative for Westar Energy. From 2018 to 2022, De La Isla served as the first Afro-Latina mayor of Topeka, Kansas. She recently completed her master’s in public administration at Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School.
“The organization is entering its next phase of impact and we are thrilled to have Michelle lead this growth with her deep knowledge and perspective of what’s needed to drive our work at a moment when the opportunity is greater than ever,” Jeff Bussgang, Hack.Diversity co-founder and Flybridge Capital general partner, said in a statement.
Over the last eight years, Hack.Diversity has placed over 500 fellows at more than 50 companies. In 2023, the nonprofit said it had 100 fellows, with nearly 90 in Boston and 15 in its newly launched New York City cohort. Its partners include Liberty Mutual, Rapid7, athenahealth, Wayfair, Vertex Pharmaceuticals and Formlabs.
The nonprofit said De La Isla’s priorities will include setting Hack.Diversity’s multi-year impact strategy and growing its collaborations.
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