Our Leadership Team
Michelle Sims
Michelle’s leadership at YUPRO Placement is driven by a powerful “why” – a personal understanding of the transformative impact of support and opportunity. Growing up as a “latchkey kid” instilled in her a deep empathy for individuals facing systemic challenges and a lifelong dedication to creating pathways to economic stability through skills-first, inclusive hiring practice. This commitment is rooted in her 17 years as an instructor at Houston Community College, where she witnessed the potential unleashed through guidance and mentorship for individuals that did not have the means or opportunity to pursue a 4-year degree.
Since joining YUPRO Placement’s Board in 2018 and becoming CEO in March 2020, Michelle has translated this passion into tangible results. Her 25 years of experience in human resources, sales, and operations leadership have propelled the organization to significant achievements, including four consecutive years on the SIA Fastest Growing Staffing Companies list and five consecutive years as a Best of Staffing Client Satisfaction recipient with ClearlyRated.
These successes are not just about business growth; they reflect Michelle’s unwavering focus on the mission of empowering individuals and building stronger communities through skills-first advocacy. Her early experiences and her dedication to nontraditional education provide a unique lens through which she leads YUPRO Placement, understanding the critical role organizations like ours play in building strong families and communities.
Michelle shares, “My belief in the transformative impact of empowering individuals and the crucial role of socially responsible organizations in fostering economic stability is not just a professional conviction – it’s a deeply held one shaped by my own experiences. Leading the dedicated team at YUPRO Placement, who reinforce this vision daily, fuels my commitment to advocating for equality and building pathways to opportunity for overlooked talent.”
Katie Breault
Katie is a nationally recognized leader in skills-first hiring and workforce strategy. She advises executive teams on how to build hiring models that reflect the demands of today’s labor market while aligning with long-term business growth. Her work focuses on solving complex talent challenges through practical, scalable solutions that prioritize performance and potential.
With a background in workforce development, public policy, and organizational design, Katie brings deep experience leading large-scale initiatives that drive both impact and outcomes. She has spent her career building systems that open access to high-performing, overlooked talent and strengthening how companies attract, retain, and advance early career professionals.
Her approach is informed by years of working across sectors and her own firsthand experience mentoring a young adult who would have been screened out by traditional hiring practices. That moment became a catalyst for her ongoing work to shift how companies define and measure talent.
Katie shares, “If you’re only hiring who shows up on paper, you’re missing who shows up in performance.”
Tirranny Nettles
With over a decade of experience in staffing and workforce development, Nettles is an innovative and impact-driven leader dedicated to creating equitable career pathways for traditionally overlooked talent. She leads national recruitment strategy and client delivery operations—partnering with mission-aligned employers to design and execute forward-thinking, skills-first hiring solutions.
Her expertise spans healthcare, professional services, and IT staffing, and she is widely recognized for building trusted client relationships, aligning talent strategy with business goals, and driving results at scale. Nettles brings a consultative, people-first mindset to every partnership, helping clients unlock untapped talent pools while advancing diversity, equity, and inclusion outcomes.A passionate advocate for skills-first hiring, she believes in shifting focus from résumés to real-world potential: “When we hire for skills, we break down barriers, unlock innovation, and create lasting change—for individuals, communities, and the future of work.”
Emily Schaffer
Emily Schaffer is a passionate advocate for economic equity, dedicated to creating career opportunities for historically marginalized communities. Her journey began as a Teach for America teacher in Compton, CA, where she witnessed firsthand the transformative power of education. This experience, coupled with her role as an early team member in a tech startup, solidified her commitment to harnessing market forces for social good.
In 2011, Emily joined Year Up United, initially leading program initiatives before stepping into the role of Executive Director for the Bay Area region in 2016. Her impact continued to grow as she took on the national role of Managing Director of Technology in 2020. Before her role with the YUPRO Placement team, she served as CEO of ChooseU, formerly known as Generation USA, where she led a national workforce development nonprofit recognized for its rapid scaling of technical training programs.
Today, Emily is focused on expanding YUPRO Placement’s footprint in the Bay Area and across the nation, driving solutions that help companies identify, develop, and hire mission-driven talent.
Emily shares, “It’s been my honor to directly support thousands of young adults, whose talents might otherwise be overlooked, launch their careers. Their drive, adaptability and persistence has held outsize value for their employers. Our world is rich with talented individuals and organizations eager to hire. YUPRO Placement exists to bridge the gap between talent and opportunity, enabling both to realize their fullest potential.”