We’re excited to introduce Avery Anderson-Baer, our new Associate Consultant! Learn more about his background, current role, and hobbies in this interview.

Tell us about your role at Holistic. What do you do? Who do you work with?

I’m an Associate Consultant here at Holistic. In my role, I support our amazing Director of Client Services, Cynthia Rodriguez, and participate in general client management. I aim to be flexible and versatile so I can support our clients in their DEI missions and achieve their goals.

Tell us about your background. How did you end up here?

I’m from a military family so I grew up bouncing around all over, but I call Colorado home. I went to school and played football at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln (GBR). I got my M.A., in Educational Administration (Higher Education) in December 2020 and have a background in athletics, the nonprofits space, logistics, and education. 

My fiancée is from the west suburbs and we moved out to Illinois in late 2020. I was fortunate enough to get connected with Holistic and it’s amazing to be a part of the team. I use my experience of being an operations generalist to help support the team and show up where I’m needed.

What’s something you are proud of since joining Holistic?

In the wake of 2020 and all the momentum in the DEI space, I’m truly proud to be at Holistic and be doing the work on the ground. Many people want to see change in this space and we are the folks diving into these topics and finding real, meaningful change.

In your mind, what does a great employee experience look like?

To me, a great employee experience is being a part of a team and having meaningful relationships. Everyone doesn’t need to be best friends but there has to be respect, trust, and accountability. People get things done – so we must care, support, help develop, and pour into one another.

If you had an extra hour in the day, how would you spend it?

I would try to read more. I have tons of books on the to-read list and I try to be disciplined in finding time to read, so with an extra hour I hope I’d read more...but I’d probably spend that extra hour watching random YouTube videos or in the front yard shooting hoops.

Who is someone you admire?

One person I admire is Pat Tillman. One word you hear people say a lot when talking about him and his legacy is passion. He inspires me to pursue what I’m passionate about and give it everything I’ve got day in and day out.

What do you do for fun?

A lot of my fun comes from being an assistant football coach at Wheaton College. I work with the defensive backs and I love supporting the development of student-athletes. I’m absolutely blessed to have the opportunity to help our players pursue excellence in Faith, academics, and football. 

I also love music - I listen to music 24/7 and love to break down lyrics, researching songs, and just vibing. 

What’s your hidden talent?

I can do some incredible impressions. My best is probably Shrek. My family and friends say my impressions are terrible but I just think they are a little jealous. The same with my singing and vocals – unappreciated talent.

Thank you for everything you do, Avery!