Four Years After $3.5B Buyout, Pluralsight Is Moving Its HQ to North Texas and Expanding Tech Training Access With $2M in Grants

Since being acquired for $3.5B in a 2021 take-private deal, Pluralsight has changed ownership, cut jobs, and cycled through two CEOs. Now it's relocating its headquarters to Westlake and sharpening its focus on global upskilling under new leadership.

Pluralsight, acquired by Austin’s Vista Equity Partners in a $3.5 billion deal in 2021 and now operating under new ownership, is relocating its headquarters from Utah to North Texas as part of a broader strategic plan for long-term growth.

In late June, the company announced it would move its corporate HQ from Draper, Utah, to Westlake, a northern suburb of Dallas-Fort Worth, and reduce its global workforce by 17%, according to the Salt Lake Business Journal. CEO Erin Gajdalo said the move reflects a streamlined operational model and evolving business needs.

“Over the past year, we’ve been transforming our business to position the company for sustained growth and to enhance the value we provide for our customers,” Gajdalo said in a statement at the time. She called the new North Texas location “a rightsized headquarters” that supports Pluralsight’s future direction.

Founded in 2004, Pluralsight has around 2,000 employees and operates additional offices in Ireland, Australia, and India, with over 65% of team members working outside of corporate offices, according to a fact sheet on the company’s website. Its tech skills platform serves customers in over 180 countries across over 23,000 business accounts, the company says.

From a private equity deal to lender ownership

Vista’s 2021 deal took Pluralsight private during a high point for tech valuations. But by May 2024, Vista had written off its entire equity investment in the company, Axios reported, describing the loss as “an example of leverage catching up with a leveraged buyout.”

That August, a group of private lenders led by New York-based Blue Owl Capital took ownership of Pluralsight, according to Bloomberg.

Leadership changes at Pluralsight followed soon after.

Gajdalo takes the helm

In November, the company named then-COO Erin Gajdalo—previously Chief Delivery Officer at Dallas-based Avantax—as its new CEO. She succeeded Chris Walters, another former Avantax executive, who had taken the reins just seven months earlier from Pluralsight co-founder Aaron Skonnard.

In a May LinkedIn post, Gajdalo described her team as resilient and responsive. “As our customers’ needs evolve, so must our capabilities,” she wrote. “We’re operating in the same technological paradigm as every other organization—and that means agility is an everyday ask.”

She praised the team for building strong partnerships and “pushing boundaries in search of the most effective ways to deliver an upskilling experience that meets the demands of the moment.”

Awarding $1.95M in nonprofit grants

Today, Pluralsight announced $1.95 million in cash grants from its social impact initiative Pluralsight One Fund, a corporate-advised fund managed by Silicon Valley Community Foundation.

The grants, along with more than 25,000 donated Pluralsight licenses, were given to nonprofits delivering inclusive, skills-based training programs to underrepresented communities to advance equity in the technology workforce, the company said.

The fund’s 13 grantees for 2025 were chosen for their innovative models, measurable impact, and alignment with Pluralsight One’s mission to “democratize” technology skills.

“We’re proud to partner with organizations doing bold work to remove barriers and expand access to careers in technology,” said Pluralsight CEO Gajdalo, who also serves as executive director of Pluralsight One. “Our grantees are changemakers who are increasing opportunity, creating inclusive pathways, and helping individuals across communities realize their potential through tech.”

This year’s grantees include organizations focused on expanding tech career access for underserved communities—including survivors of trafficking, autistic individuals, LGBTQ+ learners, incarcerated populations, and high school students building digital skills. Programs range from free coding education and AI-aligned college pathways to reentry and reskilling support for adults at career transition points.

 You can see the full list here.

Kevin Kickham, VP of donor relations at St. Louis-based LaunchCode, one of the Pluralsight One grantees, said the award “is making an impact on hundreds of community members who are seeking financial stability and upward career momentum through jobs in the tech industry.”


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