At Ellevation Education, ERGs Unlock Empowerment — And Impact

Inclusion cannot be created overnight. It takes years to cultivate, brought to life by the right people — and the right initiatives. 

That’s why Ellevation Education decided to start launching employee resource groups two years ago as a way to help both fully remote and hybrid team members build a sense of belonging. And by all accounts, the organization has succeeded in this effort. 

Just ask Talent Acquisition and DEI Specialist Raven Wilson. She believes that the company’s ERGs have been an empowering addition to an already inclusive workplace, making it even easier to build meaningful connections. 

“Belonging is already deeply embedded in who we are, and ERGs elevate it to the next level,” Wilson said. 

Ellevation Education was quite literally created for the purpose of belonging. The company’s platform enables educators to more effectively teach English-language learners, addressing gaps in support that exist at many school systems across the United States. 

It’s a mission that’s cherished by many of the company’s team members, including Central Regional Sales Director Hirva Raj. Once an English learner herself, she holds this purpose close to her heart and is proud to help support the country’s English learners as a member of the sales team. 

“The work we do is important and can make a tremendous impact on our nation’s students,” she said. 

The company’s ERGs bolster its mission, enabling team members to understand more about each other — and themselves. Through her involvement with the Pride @ ELL ERG and others, Senior Product Support Specialist Vanessa Betancur-Cadavid has found herself within a space that feels both familiar and supportive. 

“Through these ERGs, I’ve been able to connect with individuals who share my identity,” she said.  

 

A True Grassroots Undertaking

When Betancur-Cadavid and her colleague, Arielle Sanchez, co-founded the Pride @ ELL ERG in 2023, they knew it would be impactful — but they weren’t sure how to get started. 

“The challenges we faced at the time were, ‘How should we structure our ERG?’ and ‘What should the experience of an ERG member be?’” she recalled. “This was new territory for the two of us, but we were thankful we had the support of our managers and executive sponsor at the time, Seija Surr, to overcome these challenges.”

According to Betancur-Cadavid, creating an ERG at Ellevation Education “starts with oneself.” Employees interested in starting an ERG can speak with a member of the DEI Team who will help them navigate the process, which involves finding potential co-facilitators and executive sponsors as well as conducting a companywide survey to gauge interest from the entire staff. 

Following this same thorough process, Raj and a peer co-founded the company’s EllevAsian ERG, which was created to build and promote awareness of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander cultures. Since launching the ERG in 2024, Raj and her co-founder have been focused on understanding what’s most important to ERG members and are planning to incorporate these interests into their plans for next year. 

Establishing ERGs at Ellevation Education is a true grassroots undertaking, involving participation from the entire company. Wilson shared that team members play a significant role in shaping the direction of these groups, with feedback from engagement surveys and other avenues being taken into account throughout the creation of each ERG. 

“This ensures we prioritize initiatives that enhance our culture and foster a strong sense of belonging,” she said. 

 

 

An Inclusive Take on Career Growth

These culture-boosting initiatives take many forms across Ellevation Education’s ERGs, and according to Wilson, many of them are rooted in a focus on career growth.

She said that the company is serious about internal mobility; in fact, in 2024 alone, over a quarter of the company’s employees changed roles as the result of a promotion or lateral move. As the organization continues to empower its employees to steer their own career paths, it’s ensuring that its ERGs drive these efforts forward. 

For instance, Wilson shared that the Black at Ellevation ERG led a session titled “Creating Impact in Your Role and Leading Authentically,” during which three leaders from across the organization spoke about their experiences and shared how team members at any level can become leaders. She walked away from the event feeling “inspired and motivated,” empowering her to help others achieve their goals. 

Emboldened by this experience, Ellevation’s People team is partnering with Curriculum Associates, Ellevation’s parent company, to send employees to CA’s Black Leadership Academy, which is a year-long program that enables individual contributors who are aspiring people leaders to strengthen their leadership capacity. She shared that the program includes a blend of workshops, leadership development sessions with experts and a capstone project, giving team members a well-rounded foundation for leadership growth.

But that’s not all that the DEI Team is doing to help drive inclusive career development. The team also collaborated with the company’s internal DEI programming group, ELLiance, to develop a series called Ellevate with ELLiance. This initiative featured three virtual sessions where speakers addressed important topics, from neurodiversity in the workplace to imposter syndrome. 

“This series created a space for meaningful learning and growth, offering not only valuable knowledge but also an environment where employees felt heard, safe and supported,” Wilson said. 

 

“This series created a space for meaningful learning and growth, offering not only valuable knowledge but also an environment where employees felt heard, safe and supported.”

 

While 2024 was a tremendous year for career development at Ellevation Education, the year ahead is expected to look similar. According to Betancur-Cadavid, the Pride @ ELL ERG plans to focus on offering networking and career development opportunities in 2025. The ERG has already started helping its members grow, with the group’s executive sponsors, Tim Hildreth and Bennett Chamberland, offering weekly office hours for career growth conversations.

Raj added that, after consulting members of the EllevAsian ERG, she and the group’s other leaders aim to add career growth opportunities in the coming year. 

“In 2024, we ran a poll to see what types of professional development our members are most interested in, and we’re excited to start offering options that match their interests in 2025,” she said. 

 

 

‘A Part of the Beautiful Tapestry’

Ellevation Education’s ERGs are designed to be a catalyst for change, transforming how team members view themselves — and each other. 

For Betancur-Cadavid, this transformation began during one of the first events held by Pride @ ELL, which was a lunch-and-learn session she co-led focused on gender expression. During the session, she and a colleague offered education on various aspects of gender expression and the current political climate. 

“It was at that moment that I truly realized how employees can make a positive impact for both our community and our allies here at Ellevation,” Betancur-Cadavid said. 

She noted that the ERG recently hosted DEI consultant and founder of Revel Impact, Nate Shalev, for a Q&A session that not only offered support for LGBTQIA+ individuals but also spread awareness for those outside of the LGBTQIA+ community. 

Initiatives such as these are pivotal in recognizing the unique experiences of Ellevation Education’s employees. Raj witnessed this recognition firsthand during the company’s Diwali celebration, where she had the special opportunity to share the joy of the holiday with her peers. 

“It’s not just about the holiday — it’s about the sense of belonging it creates,” she said. 

For Raj, being a part of the EllevAsian ERG has been an unforgettable experience, making her feel closer to her teammates — and her own identity. 

“Being here has deepened my connection not only to our company’s mission but also to the incredible people I work alongside every day,” she said. “Our ERG is a place where differences are celebrated, and I feel seen as an integral part of the beautiful tapestry that makes up our organization.”

 

“Our ERG is a place where differences are celebrated, and I feel seen as an integral part of the beautiful tapestry that makes up our organization.”

 

At Ellevation Education, ERGs are more than a cultural resource; they’re key to driving the company’s mission to help English learners thrive. Betancur-Cadavid explained that,, by offering its people an inclusive, community-focused workplace experience, the organization gets to empower communities now — and in the future. 

“By embracing diverse perspectives, we create a culture where all employees can thrive, which drives collaboration, enhances creativity and ultimately contributes to our company’s long-term success and growth,” she said.