Our Team

Our team of award-winning, interdisciplinary experts all share the same goal — helping our clients build stronger, more inclusive organizations.

Meet Our Executive Team
Aimy Ngo
Chief Operating Officer
Aimy Ngo
Chief Operating Officer
Pronouns: She/her

Aimy has overseen Paradigm’s growth from its earliest stages to today. In that time, she has helped expand our footprint with clients and evolve our internal systems and processes to ensure we’re delivering impactful work in a sustainable way. As Head of Strategy & Operations, Aimy leads Paradigm’s finance, legal, people, and operations teams. She ensures company-wide alignment to Paradigm’s strategic goals, manages investment decisions, and is accountable for the success of developing and improving our internal operations.

Prior to joining Paradigm, Aimy specialized in growth and business development at startups, from early-stage education to high-growth tech. She developed her operational expertise as a strategy consultant at Accenture, working with Global 500 and FTSE 100 companies in the UK and delivering C-suite workshops as part of the Accenture London Innovation Centre’s founding team. Aimy holds a master’s degree in Political Philosophy from King’s College London.

Carissa Romero, PhD
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Carissa Romero, PhD
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Pronouns: She/her

Carissa is a Managing Director at Paradigm and leads the Learning team. As one of Paradigm’s Co-Founders, Carissa developed Paradigm’s philosophy around evidence-based diversity, equity, and inclusion work. She has led Paradigm’s work with high-growth startups, leading media agencies, top law firms, and Fortune 500 companies — she has partnered with organizations including American Express, Anheuser-Busch InBev, Gap, Etsy, Lyft, The New York Times, and Zillow Group. Carissa’s team focuses on equipping individuals – from executive teams, employee resource groups, managers, and individual contributors – with practical strategies to contribute to diverse, equitable, and inclusive organizations. Her team’s work includes expert-led training, advising on how to create effective DEI learning journeys, and the creation of tools to sustain and deepen learning.

Before coming to Paradigm, Carissa co-founded PERTS, a research center created at Stanford University focused on the practical application of behavioral science themes like belonging and growth mindset. Carissa was named to Forbes 30 under 30 list for her innovative work on growth mindset at PERTS, where she currently serves as chair of the board.

Carissa’s work has been featured in dozens of media outlets, including The New York Times, Harvard Business Review, and The Wall Street Journal, and she has published her academic research in publications like Nature, Psychological Science, and Emotion. She has spoken at various conferences, including AtlanticLIVE, TechCrunch Disrupt, and SXSW. Carissa holds a doctorate in Psychology from Stanford University.

Jacob Wiggins
Chief Revenue Officer
Jacob Wiggins
Chief Revenue Officer
Pronouns: He/him

Jacob leads the marketing, sales, and customer success teams at Paradigm, and is focused on creating long-lasting and impactful partnerships with Paradigm’s growing client base. He has a strong track record of building and scaling revenue teams at various SaaS companies, from seed-stage startups to Series E companies.

Before joining Paradigm, Jacob was the Vice President of Sales for Rightbound. Jacob began his career in the diversity, equity, and inclusion space at Career Communications Group, where he focused on developing programs to promote the achievements of underrepresented students in the STEM fields. Jacob holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Delaware where he studied English and Economics. 

Joelle Emerson
Co-Founder & CEO
Joelle Emerson
Co-Founder & CEO
Pronouns: She/her

Joelle partners with leaders of some of the world’s most innovative companies to consult and advise on diversity and inclusion strategies. She has written extensively about diversity, inclusion, and unconscious bias, and her work has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, NPR, The Harvard Business Review, Fortune, and on the cover of The Atlantic. She has been named to Recode’s list of the 100 most influential people in business, Marie Claire’s “New Guard” list of 50 women changing the world, and The New York Times’ Groundbreakers.

Before founding Paradigm, Joelle was a civil rights lawyer. Joelle’s legal background highlighted the consequences that can result from companies failing to consider diversity and inclusion early, and inspired her to found Paradigm. Joelle is a graduate of Stanford Law School.

Natalie Johnson
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Natalie Johnson
Co-Founder & Managing Director
Pronouns: She/her

Natalie is Paradigm’s Co-Founder and the Managing Director of our Strategy team. Natalie’s team of data scientists, qualitative researchers, and strategy consultants is dedicated to helping clients assess, design, implement, and benchmark their diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategies through long-term partnerships. Natalie focuses her time on developing new products and services, including Paradigm’s DEI strategy platform, Blueprint, and delivering impactful DEI work with a focus on research, data, and impact. In addition to currently leading Paradigm’s strategy team, Natalie previously led and helped scale the firm’s Training team. In this role, she helped develop Paradigm’s DEI training offerings, and delivered impactful training to thousands of employees and executives globally.

Natalie has led Paradigm’s engagements with dozens of companies across industries and across the world, and has partnered with executives at innovative companies including Airbnb, Box, Capital One, GE, IDEO, NerdWallet, Lyft, Amazon, American Express, Greenhouse, Paramount, and Stripe.

Before co-founding Paradigm, Natalie was a part of Google’s People Analytics team, developing and analyzing a wide range of diversity and inclusion initiatives. During her time at Google, Natalie was one of the original facilitator’s of Google’s Unconscious Bias training where she helped deliver hundreds of training sessions across the United States and Europe. Natalie received an impact award for her meaningful work with Gayglers—Google’s LGBTQ+ employee resource group– where she organized an effort to bring a group of Gayglers from across the world to celebrate Global Pride in India. Natalie holds a master’s degree in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University’s Teachers College.

Alex Lahmeyer
Facilitator
Alex Lahmeyer
Facilitator
Pronouns: They/them

Alex is passionate about helping people realize their role in creating access to opportunity. Their childhood dream of becoming an architect is reflected in their desire to design sustainable, equitable systems in the workplace. With a background in talent acquisition and organizational development, Alex loves helping clients weave DEI into the fabric of their operations.

Alex’s perspective draws from a blend of in-house and consulting experience. Building on their work driving grassroots DEI initiatives in tech startups, they served as Thumbtack’s first DEI leader, where they developed the company’s global strategy and served as a trusted internal consultant to employees at all levels. In 2020 they received the For All Leadership Award from Great Place To Work for their lasting impact on Thumbtack’s culture.

Before joining Paradigm, Alex was a senior consultant at Collective, where they partnered with clients to conduct cultural assessments and practice audits, co-design DEI strategies, and develop implementation plans that centered the needs of marginalized employees.

Alex holds a BA in Psychology and Sociology from Indiana University Bloomington. As a proud San Francisco resident, they spend countless hours wandering the city’s hills in search of beautiful views, writing inspiration, and delicious food.

Alex Tiant
Director
Alex Tiant
Director
Pronouns: She/her

Alex is a Director on Paradigm’s Learning Team. As the leader of the Client Partnerships function, she helps clients plan, manage, and execute DEI strategies, designs and facilitates workshops, and coaches executives on their DEI journey.

In Alex’s role, she has led Paradigm’s work with high-growth startups, global professional services firms, and Fortune 500 companies — she has partnered with organizations including Blackstone, Snap Inc., Kearney, DocuSign, Nike, Gibson Dunn, and Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She advises on the effectiveness of DEI Committees and Employee Resource Groups for global organizations. She is passionate about evolving organizational cultures, developing leaders, and empowering professionals to prioritize their well-being.

Prior to joining Paradigm, Alex spent almost a decade at Deloitte as a DEI project manager and risk management consultant. She organized initiatives such as leadership development programs, succession planning, recruitment efforts, and designed other effective strategies and tools for advancing the firm’s DEI goals.

Alexander Loukellis
Sales Manager
Alexander Loukellis
Sales Manager
Pronouns: He/him

As Lead Account Executive, Alex combines his two passions in the working world: sales and diversity, equity, and inclusion. Alex has focused on equity in the workplace since 2014, and has been a part of several employee resource groups and inclusion committees. 

Prior to joining Paradigm, Alex worked as a senior account executive at an HR tech company focused on improving the employee experience. Alex also created and co-led their LGBTQ+ focused employee resource group. Overall, he loves to use data to create more accessible workplaces for underrepresented communities, and encourages companies to do the same. 

Alex holds a bachelor’s degree from the University of Connecticut, where he studied finance. When he’s not working you can find him knitting on the couch or playing with his dog Alphie! 

Ally Ruiz Balcerzak
Project Manager
Ally Ruiz Balcerzak
Project Manager
Pronouns: She/her

Ally is a content strategist turned project manager who has overseen the technical roll-out and communications for numerous products across multi-site organizations. Prior to joining Paradigm, she worked with companies from a range of industries to implement single sign-on (SSO) software, real-time digital signage, HIPAA-compliant cybersecurity upgrades, and various web-based applications. Ally also has developed communications for union, non-union, and blended workforces, as well as led marketing initiatives ranging from brand campaigns to event promotion to SEO to social media management.

Ally holds a Master’s degree in multimedia journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University, and a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute.

Anastasia Greenmore
Facilitator
Anastasia Greenmore
Facilitator
Pronouns: She/her

Anastasia Greenmore is an experienced equity and inclusion Facilitator. She is a communicator and spaces, helping adults metabolize and lean into potentially uncomfortable topics like racial equity and systemic biases, and hosting workshops that leave people feeling inspired, educated, and energized to take their personal and professional equity work to the next level.

She has nearly 15 years of experience building diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging programs from the ground up in both nonprofit and corporate spaces. She approaches the work with the mindset of helping people understand and move through complex ideas and behavior changes, and has an extensive background in cultivating psychologically safe learning. As a people leader, she developed and implemented global diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging programs from recruiting to HR systems, learning and development to data analysis, and more. Anastasia has worked with employee resources groups at many stages to build strong communities, especially for people from backgrounds that have been historically marginalized. She prides herself on doing the hard work to create psychologically safe spaces for learning and growth. She holds a Masters in Business Administration and a Bachelors in Strategic Communications and Spanish.

She is a mother and an advocate for environmental, social, and economic justice, passionately championing causes related to early childhood, caregiver support, and black mother and infant success. When she’s not working, you can find her on the Peloton or with her family camping and hiking around Washington.

Angela Razzano
Senior Consultant
Angela Razzano
Senior Consultant
Pronouns: She/her

Angela is a Senior Consultant within Paradigm’s Learning team. With a global reach, she collaborates with organizations to develop impactful DEI training programs.

Angela’s expertise lies in providing comprehensive support and guidance to leaders as they navigate the implementation of these programs. Angela’s facilitates workshops for leaders and employees across industries focused on fostering inclusion, practicing allyship, and optimizing the effectiveness of Employee Resource Groups (ERGs). Angela has a particular passion for assisting organizations in establishing and strengthening their ERG infrastructure. As a DEI Consultant, she works closely with ERG leaders, enabling them to harness their unique perspectives and develop their leadership skills while prioritizing long-term sustainability.

Before Paradigm, Angela worked at YSC Consulting, where she built and operationalized their Diversity & Inclusion practice and led global training initiatives and development programs. Angela’s enthusiasm for driving equitable change began with producing large social events and theater productions, amplifying underrepresented voices and partnering with human rights organizations. She graduated from Rutgers University.

Blix Coughlin
Account Executive
Blix Coughlin
Account Executive
Pronouns: They/them

Blix is thrilled to combine their passion for DEI and sales to create safety for marginalized folks in professional environments. Blix has experienced first hand the power of informed employees and employers when it comes to DEI. As a part of the sales team, Blix is excited to provide opportunities for other organizations to invest in DEI efforts and contribute to making the workforce better for all people.

When not working, Blix enjoys traveling in their tiny home on wheels, playing with their two dogs, practicing Chinese medicine and Acupuncture, and going to burlesque shows.

 

Cindy O’Day
Business Development & Partnership
Cindy O’Day
Business Development & Partnership
Pronouns: She/her

Cindy brings both sales experience and a passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion

Paradigm. Over the past decade, she has immersed herself in classes, programs, and groups that fueled her DEI journey, and she is currently on the DEI committee for POWER of Professional Women in Philadelphia.

Cindy is a native of Oakland and is currently enjoying experiencing life on the East Coast. In her spare time, Cindy loves to travel both internationally and domestically. She loves to immerse herself in different cultures, eat the local fare, and meet people from all walks of life.

Diego de los Rios, PhD
Senior Consultant
Diego de los Rios, PhD
Senior Consultant
Pronouns: He/him

Diego is a senior consultant in Paradigm’s Learning team. In this role, he works with clients to help them design and implement DEI learning journeys, design and facilitate workshops, and coach internal facilitators and DEI leaders.

At Paradigm, Diego has partnered with a variety of clients of different sizes and in different industries, including Uber, Nike, Weil Gotshal & Manges, Le Creuset, and Fair Trade International. In all his work, Diego brings his background and passion for social science to help clients become more inclusive, stronger organizations.

Diego holds a doctorate in Sociology from Northwestern University. Prior to joining Paradigm, he worked as the Assistant Director of Research, Professional Development, and Academic Affairs at the American Sociological Association where he advocated for the needs of different constituencies in the discipline and organized and facilitated professional development events for members. He has also taught sociology courses at Northwestern University, Georgetown University, and American University.

Elea Crockett
Customer Success Manager
Elea Crockett
Customer Success Manager
Pronouns: She/her

As a Customer Success Manager on Paradigm’s strategy team, Elea ensures a seamless experience for our Blueprint and strategy consulting clients.

Elea’s expertise lies in cultivating long-term partnerships with a high level of cross-organizational collaboration to drive outcomes. Elea has supported Paradigm’s engagements with high growth companies across industries including the NFL, Rivian, GE, Permira and Samsara.

Prior to Paradigm, Elea spent 5 years at a social impact B-Corp, helping launch their partnerships and business development team and building deep relationships with the top tech, venture capital, and Fortune 500 companies. While there, she fostered partnerships to raise capital, deepen engagement, and create jobs for diverse engineering talent.

Elea holds a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Virginia and a Master of Public Health degree with a concentration in Health Behavior and Health Promotion.

Ellen Teel
Account Executive
Ellen Teel
Account Executive
Pronouns: She/her

Ellen began her career at Teach for America, where she taught third grade and kindergarten in the Bay Area. Experiencing the inequalities in education firsthand, Ellen discovered a passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Transitioning into education technology, Ellen has been an Account Executive for the past eight years, most recently coming from Seesaw Learning. Ellen holds a masters degree in Urban Education Policy and Administration from Loyola Marymount University.

Outside of work, Ellen can be found hiking in the Pacific Northwest or planning her next trip.

Holly Portier
Customer Success Manager
Holly Portier
Customer Success Manager
Pronouns: She/her

As a Customer Success Manager at Paradigm, Holly brings a wealth of experience in fostering client relationships and driving business success. With a background of six years in Customer Success and Account Management, particularly in early-stage startups, Holly is dedicated to serving as a long-term strategic partner ensuring clients achieve their objectives and goals.

Holly’s commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) is deeply rooted in her identity as a proud member of the LGBTQ+ community. As a founding member of LGBTQ+ ERG groups in previous organizations, Holly actively contributes to creating inclusive environments both within and beyond the workspace.

Beyond the professional realm, Holly is a seasoned traveler, finding joy in exploring new places, with a special affinity for the vibrant culture of New Orleans (in her home state). An avid adventurer, Holly enjoys hiking in national parks and holds an advanced open water certificate in scuba diving through PADI. She lives in Baltimore, MD with her partner and kids (read: two dogs and a cat).

Israel Hernandez
Client Services Associate
Israel Hernandez
Client Services Associate
Pronouns: He/him

As a member of the Business Operations team, Israel (He/Him/His) combines his two passions: client services and diversity, equity, and inclusion. He is enthusiastic about evolving organizational cultures and empowering individuals to prioritize diversity and inclusion in their everyday life. At Paradigm, Israel will focus on providing the smoothest onboarding experience for our clients through Paradigm’s sales, contracting, and implementation processes.

Prior to joining Paradigm, Israel spent his time working in marketing, politics, and tech organizations with the main goal of helping people. In his last role, Israel revitalized the DE&I Task Force for Countable and helped push forward a company-wide culture advancement.

Israel holds a bachelor’s degree from Chapman University, where he studied business administration. When he’s not working, Israel loves to spend time with his two pets — a Boxer and a Guinea Pig — and going on hikes.

Jasmine Huang, PhD
Data Science Manager
Jasmine Huang, PhD
Data Science Manager
Pronouns: She/her

Jasmine is a leader on Paradigm’s Strategy team. She is Paradigm’s Data Science Manager and she also serves as a senior consulting team leader and client advisor, leading our largest and most complex strategy partnerships. Jasmine and her consulting project teams work with senior leaders and executives to develop a strategy that meets the organization and its employees where they are in their DEI journey and helps them make progress.

During her time at Paradigm, she has evolved and refined the team’s approach to analyzing quantitative and qualitative data, as well as our practice of measuring the impact of our work across clients. Jasmine also advises clients on a variety of strategic initiatives, including data collection and analysis across the talent lifecycle, representation goal setting, and the deployment, analytical approach, and communications for engagement surveys and results. Her ultimate goal is to seamlessly collaborate with various stakeholders so they are equipped to accomplish their DEI-related goals.

Over her 4+ years with Paradigm, Jasmine has worked with more than 50 organizations across various industries, sizes, and regions, tailoring her approach to account for challenges facing organizations in the United States and globally. She has partnered with organizations like American Express, Boston Ballet, ZS, Clean Air Task Force, Citrix, Baker Tilly, Nike, Sarepta Therapeutics, and NearForm.

Before joining Paradigm, Jasmine studied industrial engineering and worked as an analyst at JPMorgan Chase. She completed her PhD in Organizational Behavior at Washington University in St. Louis, where her research focused on leadership behavior and barriers to diversity, equity, and inclusion in the workplace. Drawing from a breadth of experience over 10+ years, Jasmine combines a passion for equity and inclusion with her research expertise to understand and elevate each organization’s unique culture, systems, and processes.

Jessica Kwock
Account Executive
Jessica Kwock
Account Executive
Pronouns: She/her

Jessica’s passion for diversity, equity, and inclusion stems from her own experience growing up as a low-income queer woman. She studied Ethnic Studies and Gender Women Studies at the University of California at Berkeley. After college, she joined Teach for America and taught Pre-School in San Francisco for a year, then Kindergarten in Oakland Unified School District for three years. 

Jessica aimed to maximize her impact on student outcomes by leaving the classroom and transitioning into Educational Technology, where she worked as an Account Executive for five years. Her most recent role was Senior Account Executive at a consulting and technology start-up rooted in creating more equitable master schedules for secondary schools.  

In her free time, you can find Jessica raising her eight-month old son and teaching group fitness at a local boutique studio!

Jessica Waggoner
Director of Client Success
Jessica Waggoner
Director of Client Success
Pronouns: She/her

Jessica is Director of Customer Success and brings over 10 years of account management and customer success to Paradigm. Jessica leads a team focused on the success and satisfaction of Paradigm’s Blueprint and Reach customers. Jessica and her team partner directly with customers to help achieve their desired outcomes and maximize the value they receive from Paradigm’s DEI products and services.

In previous roles, Jessica led global Saas teams while driving process, documentation, and technology to deepen customer relationships and improve organizational efficiency. She is passionate about bringing value to customers and colleagues in their day-to-day lives through operations, enablement, open conversations, and laughter.

Joel Alvarez
Customer Success Manager
Joel Alvarez
Customer Success Manager
Pronouns: He/him

As a member of the Business Operations team, Joel brings years of client and program management experience to Paradigm. He is hyper-focused on providing the smoothest onboarding experience for our clients, and he ensures exceptional client service through Paradigm’s sales, contracting, and implementation processes.

Prior to joining Paradigm, Joel honed his knack for developing trusting and valued client relationships at BDS Connected Solutions, LLC., where he partnered with Fortune 500 brands and global retailers to rollout marketing campaigns. Joel holds a bachelor’s degree from Chapman University, where he studied Business Administration.

Kae D’Apice
Senior Consultant
Kae D’Apice
Senior Consultant
Pronouns: They/them

Kae supports clients across Paradigm with Strategy and Learning work. With over 10 years of facilitation, program management, and strategic advising experience, they bring their passion for teaching and breaking down complexity to individuals and organizations at every stage of their DEI journey.

Kae supports clients across industries and regions like PepsiCo, FedEx, Snap Inc, Wildlife Conservation Network, Blueprint Medicines and more. They work closely with executives, people leaders, DEI practitioners and committees to design custom DEI strategies, prioritize initiatives across multi-year DEI roadmaps, lead critical trainings on unconscious bias, inclusive leadership, and allyship, and to recommend data-driven initiatives aligned with company mission and values.

They advise on DEI Committee enablement, build comprehensive inclusive toolkits, analyze organizational data to set strategic goals, and advise on change management communications. By drawing on research and best practices, paired with empathy for each unique challenge, Kae acts as a natural extension of teams to develop the skills, tools, and momentum to set and achieve DEI goals.

In Kae’s previous work as a DEI Program Manager, and Learning & Development Manager, they consulted internally with Executives, Business Partners, Marketing Teams, and key People Leaders to incorporate inclusion and equity into programs, processes, and policies.

Kae’s connection to this work has kept them an active partner in their communities. They supported efforts to build a more diverse and inclusive tech community through collective action by serving on the Steering Committee for TechTownPDX. They coached junior roller derby, volunteered with the Portland Children’s Levy, and currently help to advise on DEI for their regional YMCA. Kae stays grounded in their commitment to serving and creating inclusive spaces for youth.

Kevin Pearson
Director
Kevin Pearson
Director
Pronouns: He/Him

Kevin’s career is grounded in the belief that everyone deserves to feel excited about showing up to work, and that a diverse, equitable, and inclusive company culture shapes that experience. As a director on Paradigm’s Learning team, Kevin leads a world-class facilitation team and delivers executive workshops, executive coaching programs, as well as strategic advising engagements.

In this role Kevin has worked across industries and company sizes, from startups poised to change the world to well-established multinational Fortune 500 companies. Kevin considers it an absolute pleasure to bring Paradigm’s Inclusive Leadership framework to his clients while helping them incorporate strategic priorities to drive impact at their companies. Legrand, Eide Bailly, HDR, NPR, Akin Gump, Antares, Troutman Pepper, and Bluepoint Games are among those Kevin has worked with closely.

Prior to joining Paradigm, Kevin built a two-decade long career in DEI spanning roles in academia, professional sport, Fortune 500, and consulting firms. In these positions, he helped establish award-winning inclusion initiatives by leveraging his expertise in training and development, strategic DEI plans, inclusion data, as well as national and global program development. Kevin holds a master’s in administration and leadership with a focus in diversity and inclusion.

Melanie Goldstein Berenson
Director of Paradigm REACH
Melanie Goldstein Berenson
Director of Paradigm REACH
Pronouns: She/her

Melanie is passionate about building technologies to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion. As the business and product leader of Paradigm REACH, she helps companies deliver world-class, ongoing DEI learning to their employees.

Prior to Paradigm, Melanie developed products using natural language processing and artificial intelligence to help the world’s leading companies quantify and understand emotions, experiences, diversity, inclusion, and unconscious bias in their workplaces. She has been invited to speak about her innovative work at Stanford Business School and national conferences, and has partnered with AnitaB.org  to incorporate workplace experience data into their Top Companies for Women Technologists program. 

Melanie received her masters from Stanford Business School and master’s and bachelor’s degrees from Stanford University, studying technology, entrepreneurship, and music. She was a Mayfield Fellow and a Fulbright Scholar in Italy, where she served as co-principal cellist of an orchestra. 

Michelle Lopez
Senior Consultant
Michelle Lopez
Senior Consultant
Pronouns: She/her

Michelle has made it her mission to make workplaces more equitable and inclusive, and is committed to leveraging her talents to help companies thrive by developing fearless, collaborative environments.

As a highly accomplished former management defense employment lawyer and media executive she is recognized as a sought-after and trusted advisor, facilitator, and leadership coach for executives and leaders in various industries. With a remarkable track record as a senior executive at Paramount Media Networks, Michelle played a pivotal role in architecting the organization’s employment law practices, with a strong emphasis on building bridges, fostering relationships, and cultivating trust among leaders and teams.

As a Senior Consultant on the Paradigm Learning Team, Michelle relies on her unique experience to design and execute high-impact, data-driven workshops and curriculum, coach leaders, implement initiatives that sustain learning and foster inclusion, and curates experiences that increase inclusive behavior aligning organizational objectives with equitable practices. Michelle has partnered with many organizations, including Disney, GoPro, Amazon Studios, Google, SilverLake, and Akin Gump in adopting evidence-based practices that lead to sustainable, long-term individual and organizational change.

Michelle began her professional journey as an assistant attorney general she played a significant role in shaping key legislation on disability and family leave laws. Michelle’s contributions on these crucial laws along with her passion, expertise, and leadership continue to have a lasting impact on organizations and the lives of countless individuals within the workforce.

Myriah Ball
Operations Manager
Myriah Ball
Operations Manager
Pronouns: She/her

Myriah brings years of client coordination experience to supporting Paradigm’s Training & Implementation team. With her strong passion for client relationship management and capacity planning, Myriah manages the team’s schedules, training rollouts, and project timelines so that the team can deliver maximum impact to clients. In Myriah’s previous roles at Ameriprise Financial and Alliance Bernstein, she balanced the daily demands of current and prospective clients and managed the integration of three practices, as well as two practice acquisitions.

Myriah is extremely passionate about improving the economic and academic development of her local community. She graduated from California State University, San Bernardino with a dual Bachelors of Science degree in Business Administration and Accounting and Finance.

Nicole Colwell
Senior Director of Marketing & Communications
Nicole Colwell
Senior Director of Marketing & Communications
Pronouns: She/her

Nicole leads Paradigm’s marketing efforts, helping the company extend its impact and amplifying awareness around important diversity and inclusion topics.

Prior to joining Paradigm, Nicole led communications for mission-driven healthcare and financial inclusion companies, and spearheaded global PR programs for Fortune 50 companies. Throughout her career, Nicole has had the opportunity to promote equality for women in business and the interests of underrepresented groups—she’s had the opportunity to work with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the NAACP, Fortune’s Most Powerful Women, the Clinton Global Initiative, and the World Economic Forum.

After more than a decade in the technology industry, Nicole is passionate about diversity and inclusion’s role in creating more companies, products, and ultimately a more equitable world. Outside of work, she volunteers for political and civic causes, and enjoys seeing as much of the world as possible.

Nicole holds a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from California State University, Chico.

Niomi Sterling
Consultant
Niomi Sterling
Consultant
Pronouns: She/her

Niomi is a DEI consultant on both Paradigm’s Strategy and Learning teams. She approaches her work with a passion for driving change and growth in organizations. Drawing on her background in international business, talent acquisition and management, Niomi brings a global view point to implementing best practices for fostering diversity, equity and inclusion.

In her work at Paradigm, Niomi employs research, coaching, training and advising to support her clients. She leads some of Paradigm’s culture and inclusion assessments, strategy development, as well as behavior change work in facilitation and coaching. Niomi has worked with clients such as Nike, Snap, Grubhub, Mazda, Tencent and more. She takes a genuine interest in each of her clients; taking time to understand their goals and how best to achieve them. She uses this insight to craft custom DEI strategies and learning approaches tailored to the unique needs of each organization.

Prior to her role at Paradigm, Niomi led DEI-focused hiring strategies as a Talent Acquisition Manager, implementing bias-mitigation and inclusive hiring practices across the US. Niomi completed her MBA with a concentration in Organizational Behavior at Rotterdam School of Management, Erasmus University in the Netherlands.

Pin-ya Tseng
Senior Consultant
Pin-ya Tseng
Senior Consultant
Pronouns: She/her

Pin-ya is a Facilitator on Paradigm’s Learning Team. Pin-ya develops and leads Paradigm’s high-impact trainings that are tailored to clients’ needs and promote learning, while fostering more diverse and inclusive organizations.

At Paradigm, Pin-ya has facilitated hundreds of trainings with executives, people leaders, and individual contributors across a range of industries, from Fortune 500 companies, to non-profit organizations, to academic institutions. Her clients have included Capital One, Google, Airbnb, Boys and Girls Clubs of America, the NFL, and the NASA Jet Propulsion Lab.

Pin-ya’s work draws from years of experience in psychological research, teaching, and leadership development. Before joining Paradigm, Pin-ya was an organizational consultant, where she conducted in-depth assessments of executive-level clients, focusing on behavioral strengths and opportunities, business challenges, and team dynamics. Pin-ya holds a master’s degree in Social Psychology from the Ohio State University, where she taught undergraduate courses in psychology and scientific writing. She has presented research at the Society of Personality and Social Psychology national conference, as well as at other academic forums.

Rebecca Elguindi
Senior Partnerships Manager
Rebecca Elguindi
Senior Partnerships Manager
Pronouns: She/her

As a Senior Partnerships Manager, Rebecca brings more than 7 years of direct sales and partnerships experience to Paradigm. In previous roles, Rebecca has worked with high-growth SAAS start-ups of various stages to build and scale their business development and partnership strategies. Through these experiences, Rebecca has excelled at fostering lasting customer relationships, project management, and developing new processes and sales strategies.

In recent roles, Rebecca uncovered her true passion for improving diversity, equity, and inclusion through working with top technology companies to hire employees from historically excluded backgrounds. Rebecca’s excited to build off her experience working in the DEI space and integrate her sales background to support Paradigm’s expanding partner ecosystem.

Rebecca holds a bachelor’s degree in Public Policy & Management with a minor in Business Administration from the University of Arizona.

Ronnie Braithwaite
Facilitator
Ronnie Braithwaite
Facilitator
Pronouns: He/they

Ronnie Braithwaite is a DEI Training Consultant-Facilitator on Paradigm’s Learning team. He is a seasoned professional at the intersection of DEI, eLearning, and organizational development. They bring over seven years of rich experience across various facets of DEI training facilitation, eLearning product management, and learning experience design. 

Born and raised in Atlanta, Georgia, Ronnie graduated Cum Laude from the University of Miami with a Bachelor’s in Business Administration, where he studied marketing, screenwriting, and motion pictures. With an academic background that also includes an MBA from Clark Atlanta University and specialized training from Yale School of Management’s Fostering Inclusion & Diversity executive development program, Ronnie has cemented his expertise in crafting impactful learning and development initiatives. 

He has spent the last seven years leading learning & development consulting where he’s developed and implemented blended learning programs for clients like Adobe, Apple, Google, and the Television Academy. Further, as the company’s first product manager at both Seed&Spark and ReadySet, he developed and managed enterprise DEI learning solutions, FilmForward.io and NewDay. Since 2019, he has created and implemented over 200 workshops and eLearnings ranging from product/software training to people skills training to process training.

Beyond his corporate achievements, Ronnie is an anti-racist activist and independent documentary filmmaker dedicated to crafting narratives that foster self-growth and empowerment, particularly within marginalized black communities. His work as a filmmaker has produced critically acclaimed films like “Woke,” which earned eleven festival awards for its insightful exploration of race in fraternities, “Bipolart,” which marked his directorial debut, focusing on mental illness, and “He They,” which explored his gender identity journey. His films are celebrated for their honest examination of internalized oppression related to race, disability, and gender and have been featured in film festivals in Atlanta, Miami, New York, Los Angeles, London, Cannes, among other cities worldwide. Active listening, inclusive communication, vulnerability modeling, sentiment analysis, and storytelling are a few skills Ronnie enjoys practicing in common between his roles as a DEI Training Facilitator and a documentary filmmaker.

Ryan Godbey
Director
Ryan Godbey
Director
Pronouns: He/him

Ryan is a Director on Paradigm’s Strategy team and brings 15 years of strategy development, consulting, and HR management experience to Paradigm. Ryan focuses his time on strengthening Paradigm’s strategy service delivery, which includes refining Paradigm’s approach to in-depth consulting work, organizational assessments, and advisory partnerships. Ryan was also one of the lead architects behind the development and launch of Blueprint, Paradigm’s diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) strategy platform.

Ryan leads consulting teams dedicated to helping clients build, assess, design, implement, and benchmark their DEI strategies through long-term partnerships. Ryan personally advises clients on a wide variety of topics, including implementing effective DEI strategies, equitable performance and talent management processes, sustainable DEI committees, change management approaches, and more. Ryan has led Paradigm’s engagements with 50+ clients of all sizes and industries including private equity firms, global professional services firms, tech startups, non-profits, retailers, law firms, and manufacturers. Examples include: GE, Advent International, ZS, Rue Gilt Groupe, Origin Materials, Vuori, Financial Health Network, Hologram, and Recursion Pharmaceuticals.

Prior to joining Paradigm, Ryan worked for the global HR consulting firm Mercer, where he held both consulting and internal roles and partnered with executives to develop and lead organizational redesign efforts. Ryan also served as a Veterans ERG leader and DEI committee chair, coordinating efforts across global employee resource chapters and ensuring alignment to the company’s people strategy. Ryan served in the United States Navy as a Sonar Technician and Intelligence Analyst, and he holds a master’s degree in Organizational Leadership from Quinnipiac University.

Ryan Levinson
Account Executive
Ryan Levinson
Account Executive
Pronouns: He/him

Ryan has an innate need to help to actualize positive change. He began his sales career 2010, working for The Fund for the Public Interest where he fundraised to help pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act that protects the LGBTQ+ community in the workplace. After a few years, he began working in luxury sales, then eventually sold hospitality technologies.

When Ryan learned about Paradigm, he knew it was time to get back to his roots and help fight for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion! Ryan helped create multiple initiatives in his previous jobs, most recently organizing a fundraiser and walk for the Whitman Walker Foundation, which advocates for the health and wellness of LGBTQ+ individuals and people living with HIV.

Ryan loves traveling, cooking, gardening, and spending time with family + friends (including his three pups). His biggest passion is helping to make the world a better place, which he knows he can do here at Paradigm!

Sabelle Dumas
Senior Customer Success Manager
Sabelle Dumas
Senior Customer Success Manager
Pronouns: She/her

As Senior Customer Success Manager, Sabelle brings more than six years of expertise in Relationship Management, Program Success, and Product Adoption within the SaaS (Software as a Service) industry. Her career has been marked by driving impactful change across diverse client landscapes, ranging from startups to esteemed Fortune 500 enterprises. Her core competencies encompass project management, driving process improvements, pinpointing operational inefficiencies, crafting tailored solutions, and orchestrating feedback channels that guide strategic product and service enhancements.

Sabelle embarked on her career in Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in 2020, revolutionizing the technical hiring strategies of Fortune 500 companies to prioritize skill sets over traditional pedigree. She is committed to driving meaningful change and fostering success within Paradigm’s customer community.

 

Sheree Dodge
Executive Assistant
Sheree Dodge
Executive Assistant
Pronouns: She/her

As a career Executive Assistant, Sheree has more than 15 years of experience supporting C-Level Executives at Global Eyes, LLC., Kohlberg Ventures, McKinsey & Company, and Jefferies Investment Bank. Her analytical skills and experience working in dynamic environments have prepared her to provide complex calendar and travel management, event planning, resolution of conflicting priorities,and strong team collaboration.

Sheree graduated from San Francisco State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Clothing Design and Textiles and a minor in Interior Design. She is currently studying conversational Spanish and Italian.

Soyini Crawford
Senior Operations Manager
Soyini Crawford
Senior Operations Manager
Pronouns: She/her

Soyini brings a decade of administrative and sales operations experience to Paradigm’s Business Operations team. In her previous roles at Thomson Reuters and Refinitiv, Soyini supported large revenue, high-volume sales organizations that provided solutions to clients in the financial and corporate sector. Soyini has served as a primary resource for Sales and Account Management, Commercial, and Operations teams to understand order processing and contractual terms, and also help streamline the sales operations and reporting process. Soyini is driven by process improvement, and as an Operations Associate her focus is on contract management and partnering with other team members to support the sales process.

Through life experiences, Soyini has developed a passion for maternal health. She desires to bring awareness to the inequalities in maternal health, specifically as it pertains to the Black community. She believes that unmasking these systemic inequities, implicit biases, and racial disparities will build stronger and better families.  

Steve Poon
Senior Director of Finance
Steve Poon
Senior Director of Finance
Pronouns: He/him

Steve brings more than 15 years of experience in finance, accounting, and business advisory to his role as Senior Director of Finance at Paradigm. He is responsible for the financial strategy and operations of the company, overseeing budgeting, financial planning, financial reporting, controllership, and finops functions. Much like Paradigm’s important work, Steve utilizes a data-driven approach to make sustainable, responsible, and impactful decisions for the business.

Prior to joining Paradigm, Steve held various positions in a range of organizations, from high-growth tech startups to Fortune 500 companies. Most recently, he served as Director of Finance at an HR Tech company that focused on Compensation Intelligence to address Pay Equity and Pay Transparency issues. Steve holds a bachelor’s degree in Business Management and Economics from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

Taillur McEachern
Revenue Operations Manager
Taillur McEachern
Revenue Operations Manager
Pronouns: She/her

Taillur brings eight years of Revenue Operations and Systems experience to Paradigm. 

She has a successful track record in building revenue tech stacks from the ground up, collaborating across departments to improve processes, growing and managing a strong systems team, and providing analysis that influences action. In her previous roles at Electric Ai and GroundTruth, Taillur supported Sales, Customer Success, Finance, and Marketing teams to provide insights and scope tech solutions within fast-paced startup environments. 

Taillur is passionate about DEI and hopes to have a positive cultural impact in any company she joins. She spearheaded the first ERG at her previous company organizing events, DEI panels, volunteer opportunities, and networking events for marginalized communities. Some events she is especially proud of are The March on Washington(2020), AfroTech Booth, Juneteenth Annual Party, and work with The Last Mile. 

Terrence Strickland
Customer Success Manager
Terrence Strickland
Customer Success Manager
Pronouns: He/him

With over 8 years of experience in customer success, Terrence specializes in building strong relationships and enhancing customer engagement for both SME and Enterprise clients. His background in Business Management from Georgia State University has honed my skills in strategic planning and operations management. At BlueOcean Ai, he helped lead the Customer Success discipline, developing vital frameworks and the onboarding program, spearheaded the partnership with the Atlanta Falcons, and managed key accounts like GitHub and Dropbox. His roles at Captiv8 and True QC further emphasized his commitment to customer satisfaction, retention, and leveraging feedback for product and service improvement.

Tess Thomas
Senior Director of Talent & Culture
Tess Thomas
Senior Director of Talent & Culture
Pronouns: She/her

Tess has spent years managing experienced hire and executive recruiting initiatives in the professional services, technology, healthcare, and finance industries. Her talent acquisition experience spans startup, mid-sized, and Fortune 100 organizations throughout the U.S. She has specific expertise in designing recruitment strategies that reduce bias through evidence-based feedback models and inclusive assessment approaches.

Prior to joining Paradigm, Tess managed talent acquisition for Slalom San Francisco’s business consulting practice. She developed and implemented new recruitment strategies, led recruitment process redesigns, and designed and facilitated interviewer training. While at Slalom, Tess co-founded an affinity group focusing on diversity, inclusion, and belonging – a group that was launched globally across Slalom’s 27 markets –  and co-led Slalom’s LGBTQ+ affinity group. Additionally, Tess has facilitated unconscious bias workshops and led forums on gender, race, and identity in the workplace.

Vinh Jones 
Senior Product Manager
Vinh Jones 
Senior Product Manager
Pronouns:

Vinh is the product leader for Paradigm Blueprint, which helps organizations become more diverse, equitable, and inclusive. He brings 14 years of SaaS experience across both Customer Success and Product, from small pre-seed startups to large public enterprise companies.

Prior to Paradigm, Vinh was the product director for a small HR analytics startup. He started his career in the collaboration and social media space at Jive Software, joining at Series A and having the privilege of helping Jive through an IPO and acquisition.

Vinh holds a bachelor’s degree in Computer Science from Oregon State University.

Zo Nicole
Senior Product Manager
Zo Nicole
Senior Product Manager
Pronouns: They/them

Zo is a human-centered product manager passionate about building technologies to help improve people’s lives. The entirety of their tech career has been focused on developing software to support HR, People, and Culture teams supporting the employees in their organizations. They are happiest working with diverse cross-functional teams to solve complex problems. 

In a past life, Zo owned their own business as a mental health therapist specializing in trauma and abuse, a trainer / coach for new clinicians to help create more equitable and trauma informed treatment, and as a consultant to businesses looking to be more trauma informed and psychologically safe. They also have a background in sexual assault advocacy, running health and wellness clinics, and speaking publicly about DEI, trauma, mental health, and psychological safety. 

They have masters degrees in Counseling Psychology and Theology & Culture from The Seattle School of Theology & Psychology and a bachelors in Psychology from the University of Houston.