How Thinkific’s DEIB Advisory Group Is Helping Us Build a Culture of Belonging

Hi, I’m Kelsey! I’m a Talent Management Partner at Thinkific who is passionate about creating great employee experiences and helping people do their best work. I focus on people enablement through learning and development, internal communications, and employee events. I’ve been working closely with Thinkific’s DEIB Advisory Group (formerly known as the DEIB Council) since it was formed in December 2022, and it’s been a really meaningful part of my work to help support initiatives that build a more inclusive and supportive workplace.

At Thinkific, we’ve always believed that people do their best work when they feel like they have a sense of belonging. But belonging doesn’t just happen — it takes intention, accountability, and the voices of the people who make up #TeamThinkific. That’s exactly how our DEIB Advisory Group came to life.

To give you a behind-the-scenes look at our culture (and why future Thinkers often say it’s one of the things that draws them here), we wanted to share the story of how this group started, how it works, and the impact it’s had so far.

Where It All Began

The idea for the DEIB Advisory Group started with a simple realization: we needed a more structured and effective way to turn intention into impact.

One of our Thinkers put it perfectly:

“We had pockets of people doing DEIB work informally. Forming the Advisory Group gave us a structured way to channel that energy into real change.” — DEIB Advisory Member

Originally, this work began as a DEIB Council — a small, passionate group of employees who came together to move inclusion forward at Thinkific. While the council created important momentum, it also faced real limitations. Members were contributing off the side of their desks, without clear governance, decision-making authority, or full-time ownership of the work. That made it challenging to drive consistent, large-scale change.

Those learnings led us to evolve the council into what is now the DEIB Advisory Group. The shift was intentional: to move from a group trying to “do” the work, to a group designed to influence, inform, and shape it.

How the DEIB Advisory Group Works Today

The group is built on collaboration, curiosity, and a shared commitment to growth. Here’s what it looks like in practice:

An open, collaborative forum

Today, the DEIB (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging) Advisory Group is an open forum where employees share ideas, highlight gaps, and help shape our DEIB priorities in direct collaboration with the People Team, Senior Leadership Team (SLT), and Executive Leadership Team (ELT). The goal is to foster a more inclusive and equitable workplace by bringing diverse perspectives from across the organization into the work.

In addition to informing our broader DEIB efforts, we hope the group empowers employees to drive more inclusive practices and conversations within their own teams. This is strictly an advisory group — members are not expected to lead or deliver projects, but to share insights and perspectives directly with the teams driving this work.

Employee-led, leadership-supported

Members volunteer from across teams, bringing diverse lived experiences and perspectives. Leadership sponsors the group to ensure ideas are heard and actioned.

“At Thinkific, DEIB isn’t a goal, a project, or its own department. It is a part of who we are, woven into everything we do. The question isn’t about setting targets, or performative disclosures, it’s about checking in on every practice and interaction to make sure we’re being fair, inclusive and respectful. Our values include ‘strive for equality’ and ‘choose ethics and integrity’. These set the Thinkific standard, that each of us commit to living every day.” — Elise Stribos, Chief People Officer at Thinkific

Regular working sessions

The group meets quarterly to review priorities, explore opportunities, and respond to employee feedback.

Advisory by design

This is strictly an advisory group — members are not expected to lead or deliver projects. Instead, they share insights and perspectives directly with the teams driving this work. In addition to informing broader DEIB priorities, the group also empowers employees to spark more inclusive practices and conversations within their own teams.

The Impact So Far

In a short time, this team has already sparked meaningful changes across Thinkific. Some of the highlights include:

• More inclusive hiring practices — The group has shared feedback and recommendations on how we can continue improving inclusive language in job descriptions and enhancing interviewer training to better support equitable hiring.
• DEIB learning opportunities — We hosted a Lunch + Learn with Thinkific Board Member Paula Boggs and have created opportunities for shared learning through internal resource sharing and discussions.

We welcomed Thinkific Board Member Paula Boggs to Thinkific HQ for a DEIB Lunch & Learn and a meaningful conversation with our DEIB Advisory Group on October 2, 2025.

• Clearer, more equitable policies — The group has provided input and perspective that has helped shape clearer, more equitable policies across the organization.
• Cultural and awareness events — We regularly acknowledge DEIB awareness days and encourage employee engagement through internal communications, reflection, and events. This has included moments like our Pride “Thinker Mixer,” where we welcomed a Drag performer to celebrate at one of our regular in-person team socials. Thinkers are also encouraged to use their book allowance to explore books by and about underrepresented voices, including during key moments like Black History Month or National Day for Truth and Reconciliation.

Stronger feedback loops — The Advisory Group has helped create a safe and structured space for Thinkers to share experiences, insights, and feedback.

Why This Matters — and What’s Next

At Thinkific, DEIB isn’t a checklist — it’s ongoing work that we’re committed to learning, growing, and improving at every step. The Advisory Group has helped us build real momentum, keep important conversations going, and bring DEIB into the everyday moments that shape our culture.

And we’re just getting started.

If you care about creating space for others, learning from different perspectives, and helping make work feel more human, you’ll probably feel right at home here.

Want to Join Us?

Explore our current openings and learn more about what it means to be a Thinker on our Careers page — we’d love to meet you.

Stay connected with #TeamThinkific on LinkedIn, Facebook, and Instagram, and to learn more about what our team is up to, new job opportunities, company news, and more!