Gerald Chertavian
Encyclopedia
Gerald Chertavian is an American social entrepreneur and the Founder and CEO of Year Up
, an intensive one-year education and training program that serves low-income young adults ages 18–24.
, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude with a B.A. in Economics, and later Harvard Business School
, where he earned his M.B.A with honors. In 1992, he married Kate Smallwood Chertavian. Gerald and Kate live in Cambridge, MA with their three children.
as an officer of the Chemical Banking Corporation. He then moved on to become the head of marketing at Transnational Financial Services in London
. He co-founded Conduit Communications in 1993 and fostered its growth to $20M in annual revenues and more than 130 employees in London, Amsterdam, New York and Boston. From 1993 to 1998, Conduit ranked as one of England’s fastest growing companies. Following the sale of Conduit to i-Cube in 1999, Chertavian turned his full attention to social entrepreneurship.
mentoring program. In 1987, shortly after graduating from Bowdoin, he was introduced to 10-year-old David Heredia, the “Little” who would inspire him to start Year Up. Heredia’s neighborhood was known for crime and drug use; it was then the most heavily photographed crime scene in New York City
. For three years, Chertavian spent every Saturday with David, and their relationship continued after Chertavian's move to London. He knew his Little Brother was an intelligent and motivated young man with a passion for drawing, but also came to realize that because Heredia lacked access and opportunity, he would have to travel a difficult path to realize his potential. Struck by the injustice of David’s situation and the enormous talent and potential going to waste in America, Chertavian developed a vision for an urban school that would provide young adults with the skills, experience and support they needed to realize their potential.
, a one-year education and professional job training program for urban young adults (age 18-24). The program combines hands-on skill development, college credits, and corporate internships. During the first six months, participants focus on skill mastery in the Desktop Support/IT Help Desk, Quality Assurance, or Investment Operations. Equal emphasis is placed on developing the professional skills required in a corporate workplace, such as effective communication, leadership, and teamwork. During the second six months of the program, students are placed in internships with local partner companies.
The inaugural Year Up cohort (22 students) began classes at 93 Summer Street, Boston, MA in July 2001. Since that class, the organization has served over 4,000 students and partnered with over 200 major corporations, with sites in Atlanta, Boston
, Baltimore
, Chicago
, Washington DC (National Capital Region), New York
, Providence
, San Francisco Bay Area
, and Seattle (Puget Sound).
The results have been impressive: according to internal statistics, 84% of alumni are employed or attending school full-time within four months of graduating, earning an average wage of $15/hour ($30,000/year for full-time employees). 100% of qualified students are placed into internships, and 95% of interns meet or exceed partner expectations. A 2011 study by the Economic Mobility Corporation found that graduates of the Year Up program earned, on average, 30% more than a control group. Mark Elliot, President of the Economic Mobility Corporation, remarked that “These are the most exciting evaluation results we’ve seen in youth employment in 20 or 30 years — and the first to show a really substantial earnings gain.”
In addition to its core direct service program, Year Up advocates for broader systems change to increase opportunities for disconnected young adults. They also actively engage their alumni in community building efforts, and see them as central to the broader movement to close the Opportunity Divide in America.
In 2011, Chertavian announced the creation of a Professional Training Corps (PTC) at the Clinton Global Initiative. Modeled after the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), the PTC will be a community college-based program that will connect young adults to living-wage employment so they can support themselves and build professional skills while they obtain an associate's degree. The PTC model is designed to serve at least 100,000 young adults every year, and, though built on key elements of the Year Up program, it is tailored to the community college student to accelerate their academic and professional success.
Board Memberships
Year Up
Year Up is a nonprofit organization based in Boston, Massachusetts. Year Up was founded in 2000 by Harvard Business School graduate Gerald Chertavian, and currently has sites in Atlanta, Boston, San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, New York, Providence, Puget Sound , and Washington, D.C..- Mission...
, an intensive one-year education and training program that serves low-income young adults ages 18–24.
Background and Family
Gerald Chertavian grew up in Lowell, MA, with his parents Levon and Joyce. He attended Bowdoin CollegeBowdoin College
Bowdoin College , founded in 1794, is an elite private liberal arts college located in the coastal Maine town of Brunswick, Maine. As of 2011, U.S. News and World Report ranks Bowdoin 6th among liberal arts colleges in the United States. At times, it was ranked as high as 4th in the country. It is...
, where he graduated Phi Beta Kappa, summa cum laude with a B.A. in Economics, and later Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School
Harvard Business School is the graduate business school of Harvard University in Boston, Massachusetts, United States and is widely recognized as one of the top business schools in the world. The school offers the world's largest full-time MBA program, doctoral programs, and many executive...
, where he earned his M.B.A with honors. In 1992, he married Kate Smallwood Chertavian. Gerald and Kate live in Cambridge, MA with their three children.
Wall Street and Conduit
Chertavian began his career on Wall StreetWall Street
Wall Street refers to the financial district of New York City, named after and centered on the eight-block-long street running from Broadway to South Street on the East River in Lower Manhattan. Over time, the term has become a metonym for the financial markets of the United States as a whole, or...
as an officer of the Chemical Banking Corporation. He then moved on to become the head of marketing at Transnational Financial Services in London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
. He co-founded Conduit Communications in 1993 and fostered its growth to $20M in annual revenues and more than 130 employees in London, Amsterdam, New York and Boston. From 1993 to 1998, Conduit ranked as one of England’s fastest growing companies. Following the sale of Conduit to i-Cube in 1999, Chertavian turned his full attention to social entrepreneurship.
Early Work with Young Adults
In 1985, Chertavian began participating in the Big Brothers Big SistersBig Brothers Big Sisters
Big Brothers Big Sisters may refer to:*Big Brothers Big Sisters of America*Big Brothers Big Sisters of Canada*Big Brothers Big Sisters of New York City *Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northern Nevada...
mentoring program. In 1987, shortly after graduating from Bowdoin, he was introduced to 10-year-old David Heredia, the “Little” who would inspire him to start Year Up. Heredia’s neighborhood was known for crime and drug use; it was then the most heavily photographed crime scene in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. For three years, Chertavian spent every Saturday with David, and their relationship continued after Chertavian's move to London. He knew his Little Brother was an intelligent and motivated young man with a passion for drawing, but also came to realize that because Heredia lacked access and opportunity, he would have to travel a difficult path to realize his potential. Struck by the injustice of David’s situation and the enormous talent and potential going to waste in America, Chertavian developed a vision for an urban school that would provide young adults with the skills, experience and support they needed to realize their potential.
Year Up
In 2000, Chertavian founded Year UpYear Up
Year Up is a nonprofit organization based in Boston, Massachusetts. Year Up was founded in 2000 by Harvard Business School graduate Gerald Chertavian, and currently has sites in Atlanta, Boston, San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, New York, Providence, Puget Sound , and Washington, D.C..- Mission...
, a one-year education and professional job training program for urban young adults (age 18-24). The program combines hands-on skill development, college credits, and corporate internships. During the first six months, participants focus on skill mastery in the Desktop Support/IT Help Desk, Quality Assurance, or Investment Operations. Equal emphasis is placed on developing the professional skills required in a corporate workplace, such as effective communication, leadership, and teamwork. During the second six months of the program, students are placed in internships with local partner companies.
The inaugural Year Up cohort (22 students) began classes at 93 Summer Street, Boston, MA in July 2001. Since that class, the organization has served over 4,000 students and partnered with over 200 major corporations, with sites in Atlanta, Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
, Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
, Washington DC (National Capital Region), New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, Providence
Providence
Providence may refer to:* Providence, Rhode Island, the capital of Rhode Island* Divine providence, the idea of divinely ordained events and outcomes- Entertainment :* Providence , a French/Swiss film directed by Alain Resnais...
, San Francisco Bay Area
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, commonly known as the Bay Area, is a populated region that surrounds the San Francisco and San Pablo estuaries in Northern California. The region encompasses metropolitan areas of San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose, along with smaller urban and rural areas...
, and Seattle (Puget Sound).
The results have been impressive: according to internal statistics, 84% of alumni are employed or attending school full-time within four months of graduating, earning an average wage of $15/hour ($30,000/year for full-time employees). 100% of qualified students are placed into internships, and 95% of interns meet or exceed partner expectations. A 2011 study by the Economic Mobility Corporation found that graduates of the Year Up program earned, on average, 30% more than a control group. Mark Elliot, President of the Economic Mobility Corporation, remarked that “These are the most exciting evaluation results we’ve seen in youth employment in 20 or 30 years — and the first to show a really substantial earnings gain.”
In addition to its core direct service program, Year Up advocates for broader systems change to increase opportunities for disconnected young adults. They also actively engage their alumni in community building efforts, and see them as central to the broader movement to close the Opportunity Divide in America.
In 2011, Chertavian announced the creation of a Professional Training Corps (PTC) at the Clinton Global Initiative. Modeled after the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), the PTC will be a community college-based program that will connect young adults to living-wage employment so they can support themselves and build professional skills while they obtain an associate's degree. The PTC model is designed to serve at least 100,000 young adults every year, and, though built on key elements of the Year Up program, it is tailored to the community college student to accelerate their academic and professional success.
Awards, Honors, and Memberships
Awards and Honors- Social Entrepreneurship Award by the Manhattan Institute (2003)
- Freedom House Archie R. Williams, Jr. Technology Award (2005)
- Massachusetts School of Professional Psychology, honorary doctorate of humane letters (2010)
Board Memberships
- Bowdoin College
- The Boston Foundation
- Harvard Business School Social Enterprise Initiative
- Massachusetts State Board of Elementary and Secondary Education