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An eGuide partner for almost 6 years, The Surge Institute has grown their impact through incredible strategic vision execution under the leadership of Carmita Semaan. Working with the Surge operations team, eGuide ensures that this virtual team of 30 employees (and growing) is supported by integrating our systems team into regular operations. From help desk support, workflow automation, systems migrations, cybersecurity, and budgeting, we really have a hand in all aspects of the technology that runs this inspiring organization.
Meet Soledad
Prior to joining the Surge Institute, Soledad served as Chief Administrative Officer at Philadelphia International Airport. There she led several functions including strategy, human resources, information security, diversity and inclusion, and administrative operations. A mission-driven Afro-Latina with a passion for education, she first began her career as a biology teacher and has also served as the Deputy Chief of Staff for the Mastery Charter School Network. In addition, Soledad has experience working in non-profit education organizations to build internal capacity, develop systems, and advance strategy, all in support of educational equity for children and communities of color.
The eGuide team functions as an extension of Surge's operations department, handling all technology-related needs. This includes IT infrastructure planning, budgeting, help desk support, and hardware procurement, as well as involvement in most software tools and implementations. To quote Soledad, "eGuide helps augment all of our processes," which is precisely the kind of support we strive to provide.
Our Partnership
The Feeling Is Mutual
At eGuide, we take the concept of partnership very seriously, and our relationship with Surge exemplifies the kind of collaboration we strive for with all of our partners. By building relationships that extend beyond the typical client/vendor dynamic, we are able to make a more significant impact in the work we do with Surge, and increase the level of care and personal investment we have in every project we take on.
The eGuide Approach
We've had the privilege of working on some significant projects in partnership with Surge, such as building out the infrastructure for the Surge Intranet, and deploying a mobile-first website that functioned like an app for cohorts. In each case, we began by collaborating closely with the Surge team to identify their specific needs and goals. We take pride in our ability to look beyond the surface-level questions and offer recommendations and examples that help bring an idea to a truly usable and effective place. The two projects mentioned above and in the video are just a small sampling of the many successful collaborations we've had with Surge.
Working with eGuide
We feel incredibly fortunate to have the opportunity to work closely with Soledad, Carmita, and the rest of the Surge team on a daily basis. As a core value-driven company, eGuide brings these values into every partnership we establish: Do Something that helps someone. Have fun, be you. Learn and teach. Finish what you start. Collaborate with kind accountability. These values are evident in every conversation we have, and they empower us to bring the best version of ourselves to the support we are able to provide.