Michael L. Younger serves as the Vice President - Workforce, Strategy, and Innovation at Calbright College. Michael has extensive private and public sector strategy and operational planning experience and at the college he is charged with developing new models and strategies to stimulate economic growth and opportunity for marginalized and disinvested communities throughout California.

Most recently, Michael served as the first California State Senate confirmed gubernatorial appointee to lead statewide workforce strategy and equity as Deputy Secretary of the California Labor and Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) on behalf of Governor Gavin Newsom. At LWDA, he was responsible for the agency’s workforce and employer engagement strategy in building equitable statewide public workforce development programs that support greater connections between California job seekers (inclusive of those with the highest barriers to employment), employers (public and private), philanthropy, community-based organizations and government.

Prior to LWDA, Michael served as Assistant Division Chief of Enterprise Strategy for the California Public Employees’ Retirement System (CalPERS), where he led business and strategic planning supporting Benefits Administration, Investments, Operations, DEI, Customer Service, and Health Policy. While in the private sector, Michael was Senior Manager of Business Strategy and led bi-coastal teams in operational strategy, enterprise planning, strategic partnerships and customer experience at AT&T Mobility & Entertainment. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy and Management from the University of Southern California Sol Price School of Public Policy and lives in the Sierra Foothills with his wife, daughter, and son.