Carissa Romero, PhD

Carissa currently leads Paradigm Training & People Development 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 currently focuses on helping organizations identify how to structure and prioritize DEI efforts based on where they are in their DEI journeys, and working with executive teams and People/HR leaders to drive change. 

Before coming to Paradigm, Carissa co-founded PERTS, a research center at Stanford University focused on the practical application of social psychology themes like belonging and growth mindset. Carissa was named to Forbes 30 under 30 list for her innovative work 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.