The AAM DEI Toolkit - A Guide for Accounting Marketers

When:  Mar 17, 2022 from 02:00 PM to 03:00 PM (ET)

AAM is committed to offering its members the most up-to-date resources. Last year, the DEI committee developed a toolkit specifically for accounting marketers. Regardless of what stage your firm is at right now, the Toolkit outlines helpful strategies to get started on creating a DEI program or re-energizing a stalled effort. The Toolkit explores topics such as building the business case for DEI, organizational structure and the use of external resources, among others. Top of mind for all marketers is that no firm has been left unscathed by the Great Resignation. A consistent and effective DEI program could be the key to supporting a firm culture that attracts and retains top talent during this time of uncertainty. Marketers have a great deal to offer in this area, and many have already joined forces with human resources and recruiting to help market their firms to candidates.  

This training will discuss how one might use the Toolkit depending on your firm’s DEI progress. The panelists will explore three possible turning points:

Exploring – The firm in the exploring stage may or may not have leadership buy-in. Nothing formal has been completed. It could be a formal assignment or informal, but at least one person in firm leadership, HR or a marketer leads the charge to research and make recommendations.  

Launched/Launching – Your team is in the process of drafting an engagement survey or has already compiled the results. DEI training has been completed. Individual actions are not tied together, and communication has been bumpy

Adapting – Your firm has a plan and is progressing. Now it’s time to evaluate. Perhaps your firm has made some changes to recruiting practices or benefits packages with input from the DEI team. A cross-functional committee meets regularly to discuss developing issues.

We hope you join us to discuss how we can collectively be part of “Empowering Change and Driving Growth”—for our firms, public accounting, accounting marketing, and our communities.

About the speakers

Carol Carlile
Carol_Carlile.jpgCarol is the managing director of marketing and practice development at HCVT, a Top 30 CPA firm headquartered in Los Angeles, California. She is a member of the firm’s EDI Advisory Board, a co-chair of AAM’s DEI committee and chair of the Toolkit subcommittee. 



Kristen Lewis

Kristen_Lewis.jpgKristen is the managing director of marketing at EisnerAmper, the 18th largest CPA firm in the US. She is a member of AAM’s DEI committee and a member of the Toolkit subcommittee. Kristin was awarded AAM’s Hall of Fame in 2021 and is a past president of AAM.


Allie Donahue
Allie_Donahue.jpgAllie is a marketing manager at Bennett Thrasher, a Top 100 CPA firm based in Atlanta, Georgia. She is a member of Bennett Thrasher's DEI committee and co-leads the retention subcommittee. Allie is also a member of AAM’s DEI committee and is a member of the Toolkit subcommittee.