About Us

PositiveHire helps organizations build workplaces where underrepresented women in STEM, particularly Black, Latina, and Indigenous professionals, can thrive, advance, and lead.

For decades, systemic inequities in hiring, promotion, and workplace culture have limited access to opportunity for women of color in STEM. PositiveHire exists to change that by combining data-driven insights with practical, people-centered solutions that help employers move from intention to impact.

We partner with employers to create environments where talented women feel they can show up as their authentic selves, contribute fully, and grow into leadership—without having to navigate invisible barriers, bias, or burnout. These are workplaces where differences are valued, voices are heard, and belonging is embedded into how work actually gets done.

    What We Do

    PositiveHire supports organizations in building cultures of belonging and sustainable talent retention through:

    PH Balanced™ Talent Management Software

    A merit-based talent management platform that helps organizations track, develop, and retain technical talent by enabling fair, objective career growth, project allocation, and workforce engagement. PH Balanced provides early-warning insights into retention risk, workload imbalance, and advancement barriers impacting underrepresented talent.

    Talent Retention & Attrition Risk Assessments

    Data-informed analysis using workforce data, engagement signals, and organizational patterns to surface retention failure points and attrition risk—particularly among high-value, mid-career STEM professionals.

    Workforce Planning & Analytics

    Data-driven workforce strategies designed to reduce attrition and strengthen long-term talent retention.

    Leadership & Manager Capability Development

    Training and advisory support that equips leaders and managers to effectively lead inclusive, high-performing technical teams and support equitable talent development.

    Inclusive Workplace & Culture Design

    Organizational assessments and interventions that improve belonging, engagement, and long-term retention by addressing structural, cultural, and leadership drivers of attrition

    Our approach goes beyond hiring, we help organizations strengthen the systems, behaviors, and leadership practices that determine whether diverse talent stays and advances.

    Who We Serve

    How PositiveHire Supports the Ecosystem

     

    PositiveHire provides:

    • Professional development and leadership training
    • Community and peer connection
    • Equity-focused Diversity, Equity and Inclusion education for organizations
    • Recruiting and workforce strategy services
    • Technology and data insights that support retention and advancement

    Employers

    We work with organizations that:

    • Are committed to gender parity and representation in leadership

    • Have C-suite–driven Diversity, Equity & Inclusion initiatives

    • Understand that culture change must come before sustainable recruiting and retention

    • Want to reduce costly attrition among high-potential, mid-career STEM talent

    • Are ready to move from Diversity, Equity and Inclusion statements to measurable outcomes

    Talent

    We support Black, Latina, and Indigenous women who:

    • Hold at least one degree in science, technology, engineering, or mathematics
    • Have 8+ years of professional experience
    • Are positioned for advancement into management or leadership roles
    • Are seeking workplaces where growth, equity, and well-being are non-negotiable

    Michele Heyward

    Founder, PositiveHire

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    About the Founder

    Michele Heyward is the founder and CEO of PositiveHire, a workforce intelligence and consulting company focused on advancing underrepresented women in STEM into leadership.

    A civil engineer by training, Michele spent over a decade as a project manager in the energy sector, working on large-scale infrastructure projects and developing deep expertise in technical delivery, operations, and talent management. Her background also includes technical sales and technology transfer, giving her a unique perspective at the intersection of engineering, business, and workforce strategy.

    Michele founded PositiveHire with a clear vision: not only to help Black, Latina, and Indigenous women find inclusive workplaces but to help organizations become places where these women can succeed and lead. By preparing employers to receive and retain diverse talent, PositiveHire addresses the root causes of inequity rather than treating them as recruiting challenges alone.

    She holds a B.S. in Civil Engineering and an M.S. in Industrial Management from Clemson University. A native of South Carolina, Michele is passionate about leadership development, meaningful connection, and using data to drive equitable change in the workplace.