Elissa Salas

Elissa Salas is the Vice President of Partnerships and Operations for Skillup, a non-profit organization that connects workers with the right tools, resources and support to make confident career shifts. Previously she was chief executive officer of College Track, a comprehensive college access and completion program that equips students confronting systemic barriers to earn a bachelor’s degree, in pursuit of a life of opportunity, choice, and power. From ninth grade through college graduation, the 10-year program systematically removes the academic, financial, and social-emotional barriers that keep first-generation students from low-income communities from completing college and thriving in the workforce. Since becoming CEO in 2014, Elissa has led the expansion of the program in Denver, Sacramento, Watts, and the D.C. Metro Area. Today, College Track serves more than 3,200 students across ten communities. Not only are College Track students more than twice as likely as their first-generation and low-income peers to graduate from college, but they outpace the national average for all college students.

As a first-generation college graduate herself, Elissa has dedicated her career to improving educational outcomes for students of color from low-income communities. Before joining College Track, Elissa served as the chief academic officer of the Girls Athletic Leadership School. There, she led a team of educators to rank among the top 25 percent for academic growth in Denver Public Schools. Prior to this role, she was a senior policy analyst for D.C. Public Schools, where she managed a portfolio of innovative school models. Elissa began her career in education as a Teach for America corps member at Locke High School in Los Angeles.

Elissa is a member of the Latino Community Foundation Latina Giving Circle and chairs the Leadership Council for Great Oakland Public Schools. She holds a BA in political science from the University of La Verne and an M.Ed from California State University, Dominguez Hills.

Sub-specialities:
Inequalities in higher education
Social mobility
Higher education access and completion for low-income and first-generation students of color
Undocumented students
Nonprofit management
Building a diverse and inclusive workforce