Chicago Leadership Expert Launches Elite Changemakers to Bridge College-to-Career Readiness Gap

Free virtual nonprofit helps students and young professionals build workplace-ready skills

CHICAGO, July 22, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Refugio Atilano, a Chicago-based professional leadership expert, author, speaker and former Fortune 100 senior corporate leader, announces the launch of Elite Changemakers, a national nonprofit with the goal of developing the premier early career talent pipeline in the nation.

Elite Changemakers is a free virtual career acceleration program and fund designed to develop high-caliber emerging talent through mindset, critical thinking, and impact-driven leadership development. Led by experienced leadership development coaches, the seven-month cohort-based program focuses on corporate readiness, AI fluency and certification while providing students with practical tools such as business storytelling, interview preparation and professional etiquette.

Students also receive access to industry mentorship, career resources, support, volunteer and partnership opportunities, and financial scholarships upon program completion.

Atilano founded the nonprofit based on his personal career journey as a first-generation college student and professional navigating the workforce without a roadmap.

"Every step required pure grit," he said. "Now, I'm determined to make the path easier, clearer, and more empowering for the next generation."

The nonprofit is an expansion of Atilano's Professional Leadership Club, a career development program that provides practical leadership experiences and insights, and the AI Collective, a specialized program helping students build and lead through AI. Over the past two and a half years, Atilano has developed more than 600 students and professionals through these core programs, including participants from the University of Notre Dame, Texas A&M University, the University of Illinois Chicago, the University of California, Berkeley, the University of California, Irvine and Northeastern University.

Atilano believes many college graduates need additional support as they transition into the workforce. According to Cengage Group's 2025 Graduate Employability Report, nearly half (48%) of recent college graduates said they felt unprepared to apply for entry-level positions, reinforcing the need for stronger early career support and professional development.

Employers are also recognizing the need for stronger workplace preparation among emerging professionals. According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE) Job Outlook 2026 Spring Update, more than 40% of employers said recent graduates' skills were very closely aligned with their hiring needs, while 56% said they were only partially aligned. The report identified communication, teamwork, professionalism and critical thinking as essential career acceleration skills for new graduates.

"To be competitive today, you need to upskill yourself across several dimensions," he explained. "You need to develop yourself into what I call a 'power professional.' Having hard skills is one piece of this foundation. There's other components that also need to be in this mix such as having AI fluency, professional skills and a strong network of connections. These are no longer optional; they are foundational to compete in today's job market."

Atilano is currently encouraging individuals, corporations, colleges and universities to explore annual sponsorship and talent recruitment partnership opportunities that help identify, recruit and develop emerging talent while strengthening workplace preparation.

One of the greatest returns for our partners is access to a premier talent pipeline," he explained. "Our goal is that when they have access to our pipeline, our participants will be the top candidates for any hiring needs. We want to make hiring easier for companies while making job searching easier for students. My lifetime goal is to impact the lives of 1,000,000 leaders and Elite Changemakers is designed to deliver on that vision by supporting students and young professionals early in their academic and career journeys.

For more information about sponsorships and partnerships, please send inquiries to [email protected]. For more information about Elite Changemakers, visit this link.

About Elite Changemakers:

Elite Changemakers is a virtual career acceleration program and fund developing the next generation of academic and professional leaders through mindset, strategy and impact-driven leadership development. We leverage highly successful corporate and leadership professionals; a premier, structured workplace integration and career acceleration program (The Professional Leadership Club) to show young talent exactly what to expect and how to operate when entering the workplace, along with power workshops (i.e., AI competency, business etiquette, strategic networking) to round out their experience and professional toolbox. We strive to develop confidence, professional skills, and clarity for maximum success. Ultimately, we are hyper-focused on developing Power Leaders. For more information, visit this link.

Media Contact:

Marie Lazzara

JJR Marketing

630-400-3361

[email protected]

SOURCE Elite Changemakers