Our mission is to create a world where wellbeing is defined, measured, supported, and sustainably integrated into the fabric of our society.
We’re cultivating ecosystems of wellbeing.
CADRE helps individuals, communities, and organizations grow their wellbeing together, not in isolation.
Just as corn, beans, and squash grow stronger together, we believe individuals, communities, and institutions thrive when they’re nourished in tandem. CADRE activates wellbeing through relational design, dynamic tools, and regenerative strategy.
Rooted in community. Grounded in evidence.
CADRE grew from decades of youth development, education, and community work into a team of educators, researchers, and strategists.
Founded in 2018 by Dr. Roberto Rivera and Jennifer Leavitt-Moy, CADRE brings together art and culture, healing-centered practice, and Indigenous knowledge with rigorous research. That combination shaped the Critical Wellbeing framework and our Define → Measure → Improve process, which helps organizations understand what wellbeing means to their communities and act on it. Our work began in schools, districts, and educational ecosystems, and it applies broadly across organizations. From keynotes to classrooms to community partnerships, we honor where this work comes from while building what comes next.
From personal reflection to organizational change.
We start with personal reflection, build community belonging, and then help organizations change the conditions that shape wellbeing.
Our work begins with the people in an organization: their values, experiences, and stories. From there, we build relationships and shared understanding across classrooms, staff teams, and leadership. Then we help organizations put what they’ve learned into action, using tailored tools, participatory research, and a clear Define → Measure → Improve process.
Three connected areas of wellbeing practice
Personal: We help individuals reflect on their values, strengths, and needs so they can show up with clarity and purpose.
Communal: We design experiences, in person and online, that build trust, strengthen relationships, and draw on the collective wisdom of a group.
Organizational: We help leaders address root causes, not just symptoms, creating the conditions where wellbeing can take hold across an organization.
Technology should serve the people who use it, today and for generations to come.
Our platform is built to be ethical and to turn every survey response into practical care.
Our Wellbeing Evaluation and Strategy Management platform is built on ethical, transparent data practices. Every survey response helps an organization see what its people need and decide together how to respond. We design tools that learn from the past and support what comes next, so communities benefit from the data they share rather than simply supplying it.
A brief ranking survey identifies priority wellbeing areas, triggers the creation of a tailored assessment, and delivers instant insights to guide targeted action.
A quick QR code ranking survey identifies the metrics that matter most to your team
Our automated platform instantly creates a unique survey that reflects the metrics that matter most to your team
Wellbeing survey is completed by the team that co-created it
Once the survey closes, our platform instantly visualizes the results in easy-to-read, shareable charts
Leadership can see right away where wellbeing can best be bolstered
After sharing the data with everyone, the group votes on which steps to take to improve wellbeing
Researchers, educators, and strategists who have spent their careers helping individuals, communities, and organizations thrive.
Dr. Roberto Rivera connects research related to wellbeing to equity and equitable community development using culturally sensitive pedagogy. He has spent over ten years in community-based youth development work in Los Angeles, Milwaukee, and Chicago.
Labeled an “at-risk student” with learning disabilities as a teen and overcame those labels to earn a college degree at the University of Wisconsin-Madison that he created, and a master’s degree in Youth Development from University of Illinois at Chicago. He served as a Research Collaborator for CASEL and as a predoctoral fellow with the Social and Emotional Learning Research Group at the University of Illinois at Chicago.
Named one of the “Top Young Change Agents in America” by Search for Common Ground Coalition, he strives toward revolutionizing the way organizations, from schools to corporations, can benefit through the use of more equitable practices.
Dr. Rivera was named 2018 Forward Under 40 Award Recipient by University of Wisconsin-Madison. His work is part of a permanent exhibit in the Illinois Holocaust Museum under their “Upstander” Exhibit, along with other education and civil rights leaders. He is a loving husband and proud father of three boys: Phoenix, Justice and Lorenzo.
Dr. Elizabeth Anderson is an industry leader, with over fifteen years experience in Research Methods and Statistics, and Instructional Design and Technology. She is also the Founder of Embraced Wisdom Resource Group LLC, a consulting company providing data analysis and education for organizations that are revolutionizing their fields. She is an authority and changemaker in education, and has taught at numerous higher education institutions.
Dr. Anderson’s path to her PhD was not only unconventional, but barrier breaking. She regularly was the hybrid student in the classroom, making the best with what she had, and self educating her way through big A “academia”. As often the only Biracial/Black woman in the classroom throughout her education, she created her own resources to navigate and excel in predominantly white institutions.
Dr. Anderson started her journey as one of the marginalized students she now teaches. While elevating her skills and experience in education and academia to the national level, she also built Embraced Wisdom Resource Group, a consulting firm that democratizes the use of data, research, and quantitative analysis.
Dr. Anderson’s hope for the world is equity. Divesting away from the traditional and often problematic forms of education, to build spaces and learning experiences that are student focused and inclusive. Dr. Anderson is committed to improving on and offline education for marginalized student groups, and continues instructing graduate students in Research Methods and Statistics.
Jennifer holds dual degrees in English and Economics, as well as a masters degree in Public Affairs from the University of Wisconsin at Madison. She is the founder or co-founder of several award winning non-profit organizations including Magnet, Alliance for the 7th Generation (A7G), and is also a social entrepreneur.
A strategic thinker and project manager, Jennifer has consulted with organizations ranging from global firms such as Charles River Associates and Change Healthcare to nonprofits such as Kids Forward. More recently, Jennifer has developed a deep passion for community wellbeing. Her role as Co-Founder of CADRE has allowed her to collaborate with some of the world’s leading experts in strategic planning and implementation of efforts to promote wellbeing in schools and districts.
As a champion for bridge building work, she is committed to creating opportunities for youth and community to be authentic drivers of systemic change locally and globally.
Dr. May Mijares is an educational leader, curriculum specialist, and advocate for equitable schooling with more than 20 years of experience across K-12 and higher education. Her work is deeply informed by her extensive background in teacher development and classroom instruction. She spent ten years as a K-8 Spanish teacher before transitioning into higher education, where she mentored student teachers and taught courses on reflective practice at both the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor and the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Most recently, she served as the Assistant Director at EAGLE School in Madison, Wisconsin, where she guided daily operations, led curriculum initiatives, and spearheaded professional development.
Dr. Mijares earned her PhD in Curriculum & Instruction with a concentration in Multicultural Teacher Education and a minor in Education Leadership & Policy Analysis from the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Her research focused on supporting early-service educators working in culturally and linguistically diverse settings. She also holds an MA in Curriculum Development from Eastern Michigan University and a BA in Spanish and Psychology from the University of Michigan-Ann Arbor. She is passionate about bridging educational theory with daily practice to help teachers, students, and school communities thrive. She leverages her unique background in education, psychology, and policy to support inclusive learning environments where every student and educator can excel.