2021 marks the third year of Ethos as a company. To celebrate how much the team has grown since its beginning, we’ve been spotlighting all of the talented and hardworking individuals who make up our team! Through Our Ethos, you will discover what each team member enjoys most about working here and what their personal ethos is.
Meet Training Associate, María Emilia Lasso de la Vega!
I lead content development, technical facilitation, and communication with clients. I spend time developing kickoff and training materials for our clients and ensure that their interaction and experience with us go smoothly in our Training practice. During our live training sessions, I act as a producer and support our facilitators to provide our audiences with an engaging and enjoyable experience free of technical issues. Ultimately, my role at Ethos aids in the learning and development of our clients throughout their DEIB journey.
In 2019, I shifted my career focus to DEI within Higher Education. After a few months, I knew that was the type of work I wanted to do for a long time. I came to the United States in 2014 thinking I was going to get a degree and then go back as soon as I graduated, but it turned out that I fell in love with a field that was not available where I grew up. As I transitioned from role to role in the early stages of my career, I continued to be passionate about educating and supporting others. Eventually, I ran into Ethos while browsing online, and I knew this was the place I wanted to be.
Everything Ethos put out for everyone to see connected the dots in my professional life. I found a place that aligns with my values, my goals in life, and that offers the type of work I see myself doing for a long time—DEIB.
So far, I have thoroughly enjoyed meeting a team of diverse and welcoming individuals who are committed to creating a better world. In the few weeks I have been part of this incredible team, I have learned so much, and I have been encouraged and supported to learn even more. I consider myself a learner, so the fact that Ethos promotes a culture of lifelong learning has been my favorite part!
I am still fairly new to Ethos, but I have already been involved in a myriad of projects. Even though I do not have a favorite yet, I consider the process of getting to know our clients and learning the ins and outs of Ethos a project. I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to connect with our clients and the “behind the scenes” work that takes place in order to create an excellent experience for them.
To me, DEIB means that individuals can thrive in a group. I break down each component this way:
Based on this, I see diversity as existing around us regardless of what we do. Equity and Inclusion are what we do to integrate that diversity. Finally, belonging is the response we get based on our actions. This means that belonging is not just about what we do but about how we make others feel.
To me, it is what guides our decisions and actions every day. Similar to how a compass shows us where the north is, our ethos shows us where the “right place” is. We may not be looking to go “north,” yet we still want to be aware of where “north” is so that we can make the best decisions for ourselves and others.
Love and understanding are the values I want at the forefront of my mind when making decisions. Doing things from a place of love means that, even if I make a mistake, I will still want to make it right no matter what. Interactions and relationships are not seen as a chore but as something we truly want to invest in. On the other hand, understanding is what helps us be patient when working with others. It is impossible to know all the variables that affect the behavior of those around us. However, we can be understanding in our approach to new and interesting challenges.
