As chief program officer on the executive team at the National Fund, Michelle Rafferty articulates and implements the strategic vision of the organization and oversees the National Fund’s program portfolio across our four solutions. Michelle has spent her career creating and launching efforts that strive to reduce unemployment and poverty while promoting racial, socio-economic equity. She is skilled in strategic planning, leadership, resource development and project management and has a strong interest in building and sustaining collaborative relationships within and across organizations.
Before joining the National Fund, Michelle was chief strategy and operating officer for Detroit at Work, where she was responsible for the development and operations of workforce initiatives that equip Detroiters with skills and opportunities that lead to family-sustaining employment. Michelle has also served a variety of roles at Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership, SER Metro Detroit, and Central States SER. She began her career at United Way for Southeastern Michigan, where Michelle played a key role in the design and launch of the Greater Detroit Centers for Working Families. Michelle earned a master’s degree in public affairs from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a B.A. in Anthropology from the University of Michigan.
