Dallas-Based Workforce Finance Startup Grows Executive Leadership Bench, Adds to Team of Expert Advisors

Meritize, Pioneering Developer of Merit-Based Finance, Is Helping High-Potential Workers Finance Training for In-Demand Careers

Meritize, the developer of merit-based financing solutions and a technology platform that connects career starters and mid-career professionals with high-impact skills training, announced the promotion of three key team members, elevating former chief business development officer Beck Pryor to chief operating officer; Kelly Birch to vice president of marketing and analytics, and Courtney Ramirez to vice president of technology. Birch and Ramirez have joined the company’s executive leadership team. In addition, the firm announced the appointment of financial services industry veteran John W. Watkins as a senior advisor.

“As the country continues to recover from the devastating impact of the pandemic and a growing labor shortage, it’s clear that accelerated and affordable models of education and training will play an important role in helping workers-in-transition access stable career paths in the new economy,” said Chris Keaveney, founder and CEO of Meritize. “Combined with the deep industry insights of our team of advisors, the promotion of these three leaders from within our team will propel us toward our long-term strategy of unlocking awareness, access and advancement for high-potential workers.”

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Unlike traditional approaches to education credit and finance, Meritize’s forward-looking model is based on an individual’s potential to succeed—rather than simply a credit score or other narrow measures. Its unique three-sided marketplace not only underwrites the cost of education and training for populations who have been historically-underserved, but also fosters connections between training providers, skill-seekers, and employers in search of talent for high-demand roles.

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As the firm continues to scale its impact, the internal promotion of the three key team members will bolster the firm’s leadership in analytics, product, and technology.

• In her new role as chief operating officer, Beck Pryor will closely align operations, customer service, and business development to help the company expand its reach and success serving borrowers and training providers. Pryor brings a decade of experience in strategy and business development across a variety of sectors including social impact, technology, and finance. Before joining Meritize, she oversaw business development and operations for the Digital Insights business at global food corporation Cargill, one of the largest privately held companies in the U.S.
• A veteran of Capital One’s credit analytics and product management groups, Kelly Birch will work to unify marketing with credit and analytics as a member of the firm’s executive leadership team, positioning the firm to better serve new and existing enterprise customers through the integration of credit, analytics, and marketing.
• Courtney Ramirez has led product management and strategy since joining the Meritize team in 2019. An expert in SAAS product development and UX/UI design, Ramirez will oversee technical integrations and product design across the Meritize suite of borrower, school and employer applications, adding to her existing product management responsibilities. She previously spent a decade in product management roles with K-12 education technology firm Study Island (now Edmentum). Ramirez also serves as chairwoman for the company’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee, partnering with chief people officer Benton McTaggart to enhance culture, environment, and opportunities for advancement for all members of the Meritize team.
• As a senior advisor to Meritize’s executive leadership, John W. Watkins will bring decades of experience in risk management, credit analysis, portfolio strategy and underwriting to his role with Meritize, through past roles as a senior risk management executive at Freddie Mac, JPMorgan Chase & Co. and Citigroup.

The Meritize platform pairs access to industry-relevant skills training with a proprietary approach to workforce finance that uses an individual’s academic and military achievements to enhance credit evaluation and improve financing options. Since launching in 2017, the company has expanded its skill-based training and finance platform to serve more than 10,000 students and trainees participating in 2,800 unique, in-demand training programs at more than 400 high-quality training providers across the United States.

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