ERG Committee

The Chamber acts as a convener of existing and new ERG groups to provide a forum for education and awareness supporting the professional growth of LGBT individuals by fostering a safe environment within their companies/businesses for individuals to be authentic in the workplace.

ERG Chair: Cody Eastman and Rachel Rosen 

ERGs foster inclusive experiences and allow for diverse teams to achieve more and be more productive. They create spaces and places for necessary human connection, especially for groups navigating vulnerable dynamics and/or interactions.

Our team members have experience–either as seasoned members of ERGs and/or as DEI practitioners–so we understand the unique challenges, pain-points, need for discussions about ROI, sustaining practices, and leveraging ERGs across industries.

 

We want all workplaces to be spaces where ALL employees–regardless of background, identity, culture, etc–have a community to which they belong. And we want all ERGs to have the support they need to thrive.  We believe that equipping existing ERGs and emerging ERGs with tools and resources (to take their work to the next level) will allow for more robust, inclusive, and equitable experiences.

 

Our ERG Committee started with a roundtable discussion on ERGs in Austin. That quickly led to folks realizing there’s a resource-gap in the ERG space, so the purpose of the committee became centered around co-creating an ERG Builders Box (or toolkit) that would help ERGs get to the next level. We started this project because we see a need for ERGs to have support systems that help get them to the next level–whether that’s starting ERGs from scratch, building on the foundation, or expanding/scaling practices to make an impact in bigger ways.

 

After a year of collaborating, brainstorming, and co-creating, the team put together a draft that was then piloted for an alpha incubation process with various companies. The Co-creators (Cody and Rachel) along with our Leading authors (Heather and Casey) collaborated for an additional six months, refining and solidifying the product so it would be ready to share with a wider audience!

 

Co-creators: Cody Eastman, Rachel Rosen

Leading authors: Heather Venard, Casey Meadows, Cody Eastman, Rachel Rosen

Contributing authors: Reese Baloutine, Kyle Adamski, Troy Sonnenberg, Helen Petty, Janifer Wheeler, Sarah Nicole, Bonni Erizo

If you are interested in joining this committee please contact: amy@austinlgbtchamber.com

If you are interested in sponsoring a committee, becoming a speaker, marketing opportunities, or joining the Austin LGBT Chamber please contact membership@austinlgbtchamber.com

If you are interested in corporate sponsorship please contact tcannon@austinlgbtchamber.com