Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
How Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Drives and Defines Embark
A Message from Embark’s CEO, Alex Stavros
Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion is important and a priority at Embark. We define Diversity as The Mix, Inclusion is making The Mix work, and Equity is making The Mix fair and just.
Driving toward a more diverse, equitable and inclusive organization only reinforces our Core Values, Core Purpose, and Clinical Framework. It makes us more of who we are, and better at what we do.
Pursuing a more diverse, equitable and inclusive organization helps us take steps toward our BHAG (Big Hairy Audacious Goal). Our BHAG is to lead the way in taking adolescent and young adult anxiety, depression, and suicide form the all time highs of today to all time lows by 2028.
Virtually antithetical to anxiety, depression, and suicide, for instance, is the mindset DEI instills in our culture: namely, a culture and environment of belonging, inclusion, empathy, compassion, acceptance, and security. As we strive toward creating a culture and environment that is more welcoming to a diverse group of humans, by definition, we will create more of a healing milieu.
A culture, team, and organization that elevates and embraces the concepts that further DEI, cultivates and creates leaders who are more authentic, secure and better able to connect with, understand, and support each other.
Furthermore, the collective experience that more diverse and equitable teams provide has been shown to have a positive impact on strategic decision making. Diverse teams and organizations broaden our perspective and insight.
In order to further develop and support a team comprised of individuals of color, diverse gender identities and other marginalized groups, we strive to actively recruit and encourage applications from underrepresented groups, and empower members of the majority with the requisite knowledge, awareness and responsiveness to close the gap between unfamiliarity and cultural cohesion.
This process of understanding, and learning reinforces our Core Values of Empathy, Service, Trusting Relationships, Growth, and Results. A sincere DEI initiative and priority cannot exist without the Empathy needed to build Trusting Relationships with those that are different than us (including our teammates, our students, our families, and professional partners).
Similarly, the rigorous DEI practices of self-examination serve to create a team capable of not only listening with intention, but also fostering the trust needed for creative change and Growth and for effective Results. We want safe spaces in our programs and workplace. Afterall, if we do not grow in this way, how can we expect our students to?
“Diamond Strategies has partnered with Embark Behavior Health to diversify and equitize its mission, values, clinical expertise and practices, environments, and community connections. Alex Stavros and Dr. Mona Treadway, Embark’s stewards of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI), have been exemplary in their sincerity, humility, vulnerability, and commitment to systemic, measurable, and sustainable growth. Embark has listened, learned, planned and acted inclusively. Through internal assessment, leadership coaching, DEI infrastructure building, and master planning, to offering innovative and industry leading webinars and masterclasses throughout the United States, we have worked with Embark to make DEI one of its pillars. It has been a joyful journey infused with love and a level of devotion and acceptance that Embark’s peers, and all organizations, would do well to follow.”
– Matthew C. Whitaker, Ph.D., Founder and CEO Diamond Strategies, LLC.
Our families entrust their children to our care because they seek positive, sustainable change. The stakes are simply too high for us to not deliver the Results they seek from us. By integrating DEI initiatives more closely into our core values and mission, we not only become better people and create a stronger culture, but we are better equipped to deliver the Results that get us to our BHAG.
As we strive to create an environment where everyone, from any background, can do their best work, I hope my team continues to hold me accountable. Transparency is the first step to accountability.
With that in mind, Embark is currently comprised of the following...
In a Director, Manager, or Senior position - not including therapists or any supervisory positions:
Compared to U.S. Population:
Overall Employee Breakdown:
Though this is the data we track, this is not where diversity ends. Diversity is not just gender and race but also age, personal background, religion, personality, professional experience, personal upbringing and more.
Though I am proud of our current diversity, we can always (and should) be better.
With Joy,
Alex Stavros