The Ascent
Privacy Policy
This notice explains how The Ascent handles information, including real company learner data and AI-assisted personalization. The Ascent is operated by Philip Malamatinas (trading as Sherpa), the data controller for the information described here.
Last updated 30 June 2026
What We Collect
The Ascent collects the information needed to run a guided company training programme: account identity, cohort membership, questionnaire answers, lesson progress, exercise output, feedback, issue reports, media playback signals, and operational telemetry such as page or resource errors.
How We Use It
We use this data to authenticate learners, deliver the course, show progress, tailor exercises, support cohorts, fix broken lessons or media, and report operational issues to the Sherpa team. We do not sell learner data.
Roles: Who Controls What
Where The Ascent runs a cohort for a client organisation, that organisation is the controller of its own learners’ personal data and decides why they take part; Sherpa acts as its processor, handling that data only to deliver the programme under our agreement. For Sherpa’s own operational data — platform audit logs, support triage, and service telemetry — Philip Malamatinas (trading as Sherpa) is the controller. Client learner records are kept separate from Sherpa operational data where the product needs that distinction.
AI Personalization
When personalization is enabled, learner-provided questionnaire answers and exercise output may be sent to Anthropic so The Ascent can extract profile signals and generate tailored exercises. The system sends only the information needed for that personalization task.
Subprocessors
The Ascent relies on service providers for hosting, authentication, database storage, email delivery, video playback, issue triage, and AI processing. Current launch subprocessors include Supabase, Railway, Resend, Mux, Linear, Anthropic.
Retention And Deletion
We keep learner and operational records for as long as needed to provide the programme, support the cohort, maintain audit history, and meet legitimate operational or legal requirements. When a client engagement ends, learner personal data is deleted or returned at the client’s direction, subject to any legal retention we must observe. Learners or client sponsors can ask Sherpa to review, correct, export, or delete personal information where applicable.
Contact
For privacy questions, contact the person who invited you to The Ascent or email data@sherpa.consulting.