Michelle Armstrong is a Managing Director at Ares Management Corporation (“Ares”) and President of the Ares Charitable Foundation (the “Ares Foundation”), which envisions a world in which people have access to the financial knowledge, resources and opportunities needed to achieve their full potential and chart pathways to self-sufficiency. The Ares Foundation supports a global portfolio of nonprofit organizations that promote career preparation and reskilling, encourage entrepreneurship and help strengthen individuals’ understanding of personal finance.

Prior to joining Ares, Ms. Armstrong led partner engagement and grantmaking at Project Management Institute for the PMI Educational Foundation to advance key priorities in youth and education, nonprofit capacity building and workforce readiness globally. Previously, she was a Vice President at Goldman Sachs, where she specialized in venture philanthropy and high-engagement giving to ensure the educational attainment of less advantaged youth and to broker school and community partnerships in under-resourced settings. In addition, Ms. Armstrong developed and executed strategies for aligned giving and involvement at MetLife for its foundation and corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Ms. Armstrong serves as a Trustee of Wish of a Lifetime and the National Jazz Museum of Harlem, and also represents Ares as a Director of ALT Finance Corporation. In addition, she is a member of The Economic Club of New York. She speaks regularly on the topics of philanthropy and economic equity and equality at conferences and convenings, including on behalf of the Global Impact Investing Network (GIIN), Milken Institute and UN Global Compact, and regularly writes for Fast Company as a subject matter expert.

Ms. Armstrong holds an A.B. from Harvard University in anthropology, and an M.A. and MPhil from Teachers College, Columbia University in sociology and education, with a concentration in educational policy.