At Axonius, we’re passionate about solving problems and using technology to tackle the tough challenges.
As part of that passion, our mission is growth — in ourselves, our company, and the entire industry. This growth includes fostering a sense of belonging, celebrating diversity and inclusion, educating those around us, inspiring others to join the tech field, and promoting career development.
One of the ways we’re fostering all of this? Through our Employee Resource Groups (ERGs).
The Axonius ERGs are employee-led groups of Axonians who share in or support a community within our organization. These groups foster a diverse and inclusive workplace, influence policy across our organization, and create a safe space where Axonians engage in honest dialogue to support personal and career development.
The following ERGs exist at Axonius:
Each of our ERGs are sponsored by leadership, and receive funding to host events and other activities.
For Angela Chiarenza, director of learning and development and sponsor of the LGBTQ+ ERG at Axonius, experiencing a sense of belonging, having a safe environment, and being represented are important.
“I’m grateful to be at a company where ERGs are supported through action and funding,” she said. “This is helping build the fabric of our organization.”
One of the focuses for our ERGs is developing strong relationships between and among Axonians. This is important to us as we’re a remote-first, global organization. The ERGs at Axonius host thoughtfully scheduled events, intentionally timed to welcome participation globally.
The Family ERG hosted a conversation with Kim Wiggin, co-founder of The Lilies Foundation, a non-profit organization that supports the children of Osu, Ghana, through educational and cultural opportunities.
Stephanie Fox, director of digital marketing at Axonius, co-leads the Family ERG. For Fox and the Family ERG, the values and beliefs of The Lilies Foundation are similar to those that run through Axonius.
“Our mission is growth, and it’s a mindset that both The Lilies Foundation and Axonius have,” said Fox, a co-leader of the Family ERG. “Team is one of our other values, we’re one team, and that’s similar to what it means to The Lilies and Axonius. For our value of pursuing the truth, we wanted to understand the impact of our donation and operating with transparency was important to us when making this donation.”
The donation from the Family ERG made through Axonius to The Lilies Foundation is going to three areas: a program to teach batik fabric making (which is popular in Ghana), purchasing supplies, and supplementing fees for the students.
Other Axonius ERGs are hosting events or planning them for the future. In June, the Black ERG held a conversation around Juneteenth, and the LGBTQ+ ERG hosted a discussion in support of Pride Month.
"Culture is the foundation for any high-performing team. We all process information differently, we listen differently. We come from different backgrounds and experiences. No matter who you are, I want to know that. I want to understand what makes you you and treat you the way you want to be treated, not how I project myself onto you.”
— Jen Easterly, director, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA)
“[Create an environment] where people can understand when they can take time off and not feel like everything is going to fall apart. [Where] they have a plan for their career and how they’re going to grow. [Where] they have time to be with their friends and family enough not to be burned out."
— Deidre Diamond, founder and CEO of CyberSN and Security Diversity
“Actively invite engagement, listen with purpose, and look for signs of burnout. You can't expect everyone to feel equally comfortable expressing an opinion, and so it's important to solicit feedback at times as opposed to always passively expecting it. When you are getting engagement, listen with purpose. Make an effort to not only hear what's being said, but understand and empathize. Lastly, look for signs of burnout. … If you're noticing signs of burnout on the team, look for ways to intervene, like ensuring adequate team resourcing/load balancing to create a healthy work/life balance for everyone, and that team members are able to take PTO."
— Daniel Trauner, senior director of security, Axonius
“We need an environment where failure is not only tolerated, but an understood aspect of innovation. Our attackers are failing forward every single day, [and] we deserve the ability to do the same if we are going to protect our people, data, and organizations.”
— Chris Cochran, co-founder at Hacker Valley Media and creative director at Axonius
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