Blog
January 24, 2024
Attain Partners Embraces Employees’ Diversity and Works to Invent the Future Together
At Attain Partners, Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Allyship (IDEA) isn’t just a program—it’s ingrained in our DNA. We celebrate our employees’ unique experiences, perspectives, and viewpoints, which enable us to deliver the highest quality services to our diverse clients. Our seven core values, The Attain Way, motivate us as consultants, committing us to excellence, achieving the best results for our clients, improving the communities in which we live and work, and attaining insanely great success.
Last year, to support the Program’s three foundational pillars—Education, Engagement, and Operations—we launched five inaugural Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).
Our ERGs play a vital role in our organization, creating a sense of belonging for our more than 250 employees working in-person—at our HQ office in McLean, Virginia, and our office in New Delhi, India—and remotely from their home offices.
Attain Partners’ five ERGs are at the heart of our DEI efforts, providing a platform for our employees to connect, share perspectives, and support each other authentically and without judgment. They exemplify our commitment to creating an inclusive and vibrant workplace where everyone has the opportunity to be heard and thrive.
Visit our careers page to learn more about growing your career at Attain Partners.
Attain Partners’ Five New ERGs to Foster a Sense of Belonging
The Attain Partners IDEA Program launched the ERGs in the summer of 2023, and we are excited to report overwhelming adoption and success. Our Attain Allies ERG, Parents and Caregivers Support ERG, People of Color ERG, Queer ERG, and Women in Leadership ERG are all employer-recognized workplace groups created to build community among employees with shared identities and/or experiences.
Our ERG leads applied to the position, were interviewed, and selected for their commitment to fostering a sense of belonging for each of these five groups of Attain Partners employees. Please join us in celebrating the successful launch and learn more about why our ERG leads are excited to be part of the IDEA program.
Attain Allies ERG
Co-led by Jaemi Loeb and Alex Nichols, Attain Allies welcomes and serves all Attain Partners employees who share an interest in allyship and learning to become better allies. The objective of the Attain Allies ERG is to build and foster community among Attain Partners team members who are passionate and curious about the ERG, provide a safe space for those who identify within the ERG, continue to define Allyship in a constantly evolving space, and perform acts of allyship by assisting other ERGs.
At first, I was excited to co-lead the Allies ERG because it was a chance to get people together to talk about and work on issues that I care a lot about. But then I met the varied, insightful, thoughtful, and caring people who are actually forming the group. Now I’m excited to work with them toward meaningful change both at Attain Partners and out in the world—and energized by the group’s desire to take concrete action and support of people who need it.
Jaemi Loeb
Attain Allies ERG Co-Lead and Senior Consultant
I am proud to co-lead the Allies ERG because it is a vital component in shaping the future of Attain Partners and ensuring we are a best-in-practice workplace for all employees. The kickoff meeting was a complete eye-opener, and it was refreshing to hear attendees’ viewpoints about Allyship and how we can improve the culture of Attain Partners to make it more inclusive. I’m looking forward to witnessing the impact this ERG has on Attain Partners and continuing to support my fellow co-workers.
Alex Nichols
Attain Allies ERG Co-Lead and Senior Talent Acquisition Professional
Parents and Caregivers Support ERG
Led by Laura Bourland, Parents and Caregivers Support is a community and safe space for all Attain Partners employees who are parents, guardians, in the process of becoming a parent or guardian, or are caregivers to others such as a parent or relative. This is a diverse, equitable, inclusive, and accessible space where employees can connect, share, learn, and build belonging at work and find camaraderie in achieving a work/life balance as a parent and/or caregiver. Together, we support and advocate for each other’s personal and professional journeys and serve as liaisons for company benefits and policies.
I am excited to co-create the Parents and Caregivers ERG to share in precious moments, support each other through challenges, grow in personal and professional endeavors, and explore ways to give back to our communities. Caring for others challenges us to be masters of boundaries, prioritization, and multitasking—I love that Attain Partners is dedicating resources to foster a sense of belonging for all and am excited to be on this journey with my ERG! Our discussions about work/life balance and self-care have already made an impact in my daily life.
Laura Bourland
Parents and Caregivers Support ERG Co-Lead and Marketing Manager
People of Color ERG
Led by Brooke Williams, People of Color welcomes and serves all Attain Partners employees who identify as a Person of Color and share interests, backgrounds, causes, and/or characteristics. The objective of the People of Color ERG is to provide and create a safe space for those who identify within the ERG, provide the tools and resources requested and/or needed to learn about and discuss issues and topics related to people of color, and build and foster a community among Attain Partners team members who identify as a person of color through workshops, social gatherings, and cultural events.
Leading the People of Color (POC) ERG is incredibly important to me; it is not an opportunity that I take lightly. As a young, emerging professional of color, it is imperative to me to be a part of a company that honors, respects, and makes room for the experiences and truths of their employees of color. During our POC ERG kick-off meeting, hearing the experiences of fellow colleagues who identify as a person of color was not only eye-opening but affirming. I’m so excited for what’s to come from our ERG! I am honored to have been selected to help lead the charge in creating a safe space for the People of Color at Attain Partners, because I believe that every person deserves representation and validation in any and every space that they are in.
Brooke Williams
People of Color ERG Lead and Analyst, Attain Digital
Queer ERG
Led by Lindsay Baldovin, the Queer ERG welcomes all Attain Partners employees who identify as part of the Queer community. The collective goal is to foster a vibrant and inclusive community among team members who share a passion for and curiosity about Queer issues. Through engaging events and activities, the ERG members build connections, honor the richness of the diverse identities that constitute our community, and strive to transform our company into an exceptionally welcoming workplace for Queer individuals.
I am thrilled to lead the Queer ERG because it’s not very often that a group made by and for Queer folk exists in the workplace. I’ve worked at a few companies where I didn’t feel comfortable coming out, so it means a lot to be able to create a supportive space for other individuals like me. Our group is already planning initiatives to make Attain Partners more inclusive to a variety of Queer identities and looking at ways we can support LGBTQ+ organizations across the country, and I’m excited to see the work we can do together in the future.
Lindsay Baldovin
Queer ERG Lead and Senior Finance Analyst
Women in Leadership ERG
Co-led by Nadia Kikilo and Amanda Seymour, the Women in Leadership ERG exists to build and foster community among Attain Partners’ women team members who are passionate and curious about becoming leaders, and to provide a safe space, both in-person and virtually, for its members to develop leadership skills and characteristics. Additionally, the ERG strives to empower one another through positivity, encouraging personal and professional growth and development.
I am very excited about supporting our future women leaders by creating this safe space for collaboration, professional development, and mutual support. Our ERG had a great kick-off meeting bringing in guest speakers for an engaging event!
Nadia Kikilo
Women in Leadership ERG Co-Lead and Senior Manager, Research Enterprise Services
I’m excited to be a part of the Attain Partners IDEA program and a co-lead for the first Women in Leadership ERG because I can continue my passion for empowering women to grow professionally and personally as they want. I believe our ERG will be a positive space for all women who are leaders, or those who are developing their skills to step into a leadership role, as well as a place to share experiences and provide advice to further our development. We have members from various backgrounds who have been at different levels of leadership, as well as women newer to their profession looking for mentorship to advance in their career. Our kick-off meeting went great, and we’ve gained more members since.
Amanda Seymour
Women in Leadership ERG Co-Lead and Manager, Research Enterprise Services
About Attain Partners
Attain Partners is a leading management and technology consulting firm delivering services and solutions to advance client missions across the education, nonprofit, healthcare, and state and local government landscapes. We’re an innovative and values-driven firm working to disrupt the status quo to change the world and improve the lives of those we serve.
At Attain Partners, we actively acknowledge and appreciate the importance of creating an environment in which all team members feel valued, included, and empowered to do great work and share ideas. If you’re interested in growing your career with a company that cares deeply about inclusion, diversity, equity, and allyship, explore our open roles.
About the Authors
Laura Bourland is a Manager at Attain Partners with over 12 years’ experience helping education, nonprofit, and technology organizations better connect business goals to the human experience. She holds a BS in Advertising from San José State University and is passionate about using data to drive digital transformation.
Kyle Cadieux is a Senior Manager in the Attain Digital practice and an IDEA Board member and founder. Kyle has a demonstrated knowledge in Organizational Change Management, Organizational Design, and Human Capital Management. Prior to Attain Partners, Kyle supported Organizational Transformation work for the Federal Government at various Consultancies. Kyle is a Prosci® Certified Change Management Practitioner and holds an M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.
Jenifer Parker is a dedicated Human Resources professional and IDEA Program Chair at Attain Partners, driving Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives. With a passion for inclusion and allyship, Jenifer excels in helping organizations craft and implement their DE&I strategies. She holds a professional certificate in Diversity and Inclusion from Cornell University and a Bachelor of Arts from Wake Forest University. Her vision is to create a world where HR and DE&I are thoughtfully designed to foster inclusive environments, empowering all individuals to thrive.
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