RSM US names Tracey Walker as national diversity leader

Accounting and consulting firm RSM has named Tracey Walker as its national leader for culture, diversity, and inclusion (CDI). She is based in McLean, VA.

Walker succeeds Rich Caturano, who has led RSM’s CDI function since its founding in 2013. Caturano, a more than 40-year veteran of the accounting industry, also previously served as chairman of the AICPA.

“It has been an honor to build RSM’s CDI program and to work to advance diversity in the CPA profession,” said Caturano. “I am thrilled to turn over leadership of RSM’s programs to Tracey, and I know she will continue to help our firm and our profession make tremendous progress towards an even stronger culture of diversity and inclusion.”

As CDI leader, Walker will oversee the function’s overall strategy, including the firm's 12 employee network groups; diversity recruitment and advancement efforts; supplier diversity initiatives; diversity and inclusion (D&I) education; and the firm’s ongoing commitment to inclusion.

“I am so pleased that Tracey will be our next leader of culture, diversity, and inclusion,” said Joe Adams, CEO of RSM in the US. “Throughout the racial challenges of the last eight months, Tracey has leaned in to use her knowledge and expertise to formulate our firm’s response, provide steady leadership to our employee network groups, and guide our CEO Task Force.”

Walker has been at RSM since 2005. She spent the last six years as national senior director of government affairs and CDI – designing the firm’s inclusive learning and professional development, leading supplier diversity programs, and driving leader training in delivering inclusive client and talent experience efforts. Walker also led D&I advisory services, including D&I implementation and inclusion compliance.

Before that, she was leader of the federal financial services sector, overseeing a team that supports federal agency clients in lending, compliance, financial management and reporting, risk, and technology. Before joining RSM, Walker was VP and director of government relations at The McMillan Law Firm, where she was the chief lobbyist and IP legislation specialist focusing on media sector clients.

She has an advanced practitioner certification in D&I from the Cornell University School of Industrial and Labor Relations and has completed a graduate program in organizational behavior at Harvard Business School.

“I am thrilled to succeed Rich as RSM’s national leader of culture, diversity and inclusion,” Walker said. “I am grateful for Rich’s stewardship to me, and I am committed to continuing to be a steward of CDI and all people at RSM.”

The RSM International network in November named Candice Eaton Gaul as head of global diversity and inclusion.