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What Employers Actually Need to Know About DEI Law | MOVE Like This with Aislinn Sroczynski

A lot of the decisions firms are making about DEI right now are driven by fear of legal exposure. Employment attorney Aislinn Sroczynski thinks that fear is mostly misplaced, and in some cases, it is actually creating the risk firms are trying to avoid.
Aislinn joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to lay out exactly what the law says, what has changed, and what has not. Core federal anti-discrimination laws remain fully in effect. Most inclusive practices that were lawful before are still lawful now. The firms that are dismantling programs wholesale out of political anxiety are not playing it safe. They are making a different and potentially more costly mistake.
The conversation is grounded, practical, and exactly what firm leaders need before making any decisions about their DEI strategy in the current environment.
What you'll take away:
Why the legal landscape for DEI is more stable than the political noise suggests
What firms can confidently continue: inclusive hiring, bias training, open ERGs, supplier diversity
Where the actual legal lines are and how to make sure your programs stay on the right side of them
Why reactive rollbacks create new legal and reputational exposure rather than reducing it
How documentation and regular program review protect your firm regardless of which way the political winds shift
Resources & Links
Connect with Aislinn Sroczynski: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aislinn-sroczynski-637179b0/ 
Royer Cooper Cohen Braunfeld: https://www.rccblaw.com
Participate in the Accounting MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com/ 
About MOVE Like This MOVE Like This is the podcast for accounting firm leaders building more equitable, competitive, and people-first firms. New episodes drop bi-weekly during survey season and monthly in the off-season. Hosted by Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk.
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Embrace the Dimension of Possible | MOVE Like This with Sarah Elliott of Intend2Lead

Sarah Elliott started her career as a CPA. Then she noticed something: the profession was excellent at developing technical skills and almost completely unprepared to develop leaders. So she built Intend2Lead to close that gap.
Sarah joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to walk through the Conscious Leader model, a framework built on mindset, skill set, and habits that moves accounting leaders away from control and toward something more powerful: human-centered leadership grounded in empathy, courage, and genuine curiosity.
The conversation takes a sharp turn into new Intend2Lead research on recently promoted partners, and the findings are uncomfortable. New partners are frequently surprised by the economics of partnership, receive limited feedback after the promotion, and often feel more isolated than they expected. The fix, Sarah argues, starts long before the promotion and requires sustained investment well after it.
What you'll take away:
What separates leaders who build cultures of trust from those who build cultures of fear
How the mindset, skill set, and habits framework develops leaders at every level
Why new partner transitions often go sideways and what firms can do to prevent it
How belonging and psychological safety translate directly into performance and retention
Why the leaders best equipped for what's coming are the ones who stay relentlessly curious
Resources & Links
Connect with Sarah Elliott on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahelliottcpaacc/
Learn more about Intend2Lead: https://intend2lead.com
Participate in the Accounting MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com/
About MOVE Like This MOVE Like This is the podcast for accounting firm leaders building more equitable, competitive, and people-first firms. New episodes drop bi-weekly during survey season and monthly in the off-season. Hosted by Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk.
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The Forces Reshaping Accounting & What Firms Must Do Now | MOVE Like This with Dan Hood

Dan Hood has spent decades watching the accounting profession change. He has never seen everything change at once quite like this.
The editor-in-chief of Accounting Today joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to make sense of the collision: AI and accelerating technology, the shift from compliance to advisory, private equity consolidation, demographic shifts, ESG, and a rising generation that evaluates employers very differently than their predecessors did. None of these forces is operating in isolation, and firms that treat them that way are already falling behind.
The conversation covers a lot of ground, but the throughline is consistent: the firms that will thrive are the ones building culture with intention, expanding their talent pipelines beyond the usual suspects, and telling a better, more honest story about what a career in accounting actually looks like.
What you'll take away:
Why it is the convergence of change, not any single trend, that demands attention right now
How intentional culture building becomes a real competitive differentiator in the talent market
Why DEI is fundamentally about access and retention, and how that reframe reduces resistance
What the generational squeeze between Boomers and younger professionals means for firm structure
Why firms recruiting from the same schools year after year are leaving entire talent pools untapped
What Gen Z is actually watching for when they evaluate whether your firm means what it says
Resources & Links
Connect with Dan Hood on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/daniel-hood-3494ab49/
Accounting Today: https://www.accountingtoday.com
Participate in the MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com/ 
About MOVE Like This MOVE Like This is the podcast for accounting firm leaders building more equitable, competitive, and people-first firms. New episodes drop bi-weekly during survey season and monthly in the off-season. Hosted by Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk.
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From Memos to Meaning: Rethinking Firm Communication with Alice Grey Harrison

When firms go through M&A, leadership changes, or major system rollouts, most of the attention goes to the operational side. The communication strategy is usually an afterthought. Alice Grey Harrison, founder of AGH Consulting, has spent more than 30 years helping accounting firms fix that mistake.
Alice Grey joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to talk about what it actually takes to lead people through change without losing their trust. Her core argument is direct: culture is a growth engine when it is connected to mission, vision, and values, and leaders who communicate with clarity and consistency are the ones who get discretionary effort from their teams rather than quiet disengagement.
The conversation covers practical tools and real frameworks, not theory, including how to segment messages by audience, why you should keep talking even when there is nothing new to report, and how to keep DEI grounded in belonging and values when the environment gets volatile.
What you'll take away:
Why culture becomes a competitive advantage when it is actively managed, not assumed
How to turn values into specific, observable behaviors everyone can act on
Why the "why" behind every change must be stated clearly and repeated consistently
How to communicate by audience so messages actually land with different groups
Why silence during transitions is never neutral and what to do instead
Resources & Links
Connect with Alice Grey Harrison on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alicegreyharrison/ 
Learn more about AGH Consulting: https://www.aghconsultinggroup.com
Participate in the MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com
About MOVE Like This MOVE Like This is the podcast for accounting firm leaders building more equitable, competitive, and people-first firms. New episodes drop bi-weekly during survey season and monthly in the off-season. Hosted by Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk.
🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode

Why Bland & Associates Said No to Private Equity and Yes to ESOPs with Jeremy Vokt

When Bland & Associates started thinking seriously about succession planning, the options on the table felt familiar: sell to private equity, pursue a merger, or follow the traditional partner buyout model. None of them felt right. So Jeremy Vokt helped chart a different course, making Bland the first ESOP-owned CPA firm in Nebraska.
Jeremy joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to walk through how the Employee Stock Ownership Plan works in practice, why it aligned better with the firm's values than any of the alternatives, and what it was like to launch the transition on January 2, 2020, just weeks before a global pandemic. The ESOP didn't just survive the uncertainty. It helped the firm hold together through it.
The conversation also covers the transparency culture that makes it work: sharing financials, stock valuations, and strategic goals with every employee, and using the Entrepreneurial Operating System to keep everyone aligned and accountable.
What you'll take away:
How an ESOP works in a professional services firm and why it's simpler than you think
Why employee ownership builds engagement that equity compensation alone never quite achieves
What it took to change state law to make this possible and what other firms can learn from that
How radical financial transparency strengthens trust, retention, and shared purpose
What to honestly assess before deciding whether an ESOP is the right fit for your firm
Resources & Links
Connect with Jeremy Vokt on LinkedIn
Learn more about Bland & Associates: https://blandcpa.com
Participate in the MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com
About MOVE Like This MOVE Like This is the podcast for accounting firm leaders building more equitable, competitive, and people-first firms. New episodes drop bi-weekly during survey season and monthly in the off-season. Hosted by Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk.
🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode.

Keep Your Best Talent by Living Your Values with Rehmann CEO Stacie Kwaiser

Rehmann has 1,100 people, 22 offices, and retention rates that consistently beat the profession's averages. That doesn't happen by accident. Stacie Kwaiser, the firm's CEO, joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to pull back the curtain on what nearly three decades of intentional culture-building actually looks like in practice.
The anchor of Rehmann's approach is its Career Advocacy Program — started almost 20 years ago as an initiative to advance women, and now a firm-wide strategy built around sponsorship, visibility, and leadership development. Stacie's perspective is direct: belonging isn't a program you can cut when times get hard. It's a business strategy that drives retention, client relationships, and long-term growth. And Gen Z is watching closely enough to know the difference between firms that mean it and firms that don't.
What you'll take away:
Why sponsorship accelerates careers in ways mentorship alone never can
How Rehmann evolved a women's initiative into a firmwide leadership development engine
Why younger professionals evaluate firms on representation in leadership, not just recruiting messaging
How connecting DEI to client service turns inclusion into a revenue strategy
What it looks like to embed "Put People First" into daily decisions, not just annual reports
Resources & Links
Connect with Stacie Kwaiser on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/staciekwaiser/
Learn more about Rehmann: https://www.rehmann.com
About MOVE Like ThisMOVE Like This is the podcast for accounting firm leaders building more equitable, competitive, and people-first firms. New episodes drop bi-weekly during survey season and monthly in the off-season. Hosted by Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk.
🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode🔗 Website: https://accountingmoveproject.com

What the Next Generation Is Really Looking For — with Stephani Mason & Claire Costin

Two accounting professors walk into a podcast, and what they have to say about the next generation of talent should stop every firm leader in their tracks.
Claire Costin (University of Portland) and Steph Mason (DePaul University) both came up through the profession before moving into academia, where they now research inequity, bias, and intersectionality in accounting. They join host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to share what today's students are looking for in employers, and why firms that are quietly scaling back DEI efforts are making a very expensive mistake.
The conversation is candid, research-grounded, and full of moments that hit close to home: the top student who turned down a Big Four offer after being disrespected in recruiting, the myth of meritocracy that ignores how early opportunity gaps begin, and the simple but radical idea that tax returns and audits are still delivered by people who need to feel seen.
What you'll take away:
Why belonging is non-negotiable for the next generation — regardless of political affiliation
How microaggressions in recruiting are costing firms their best candidates before day one
Why meritocracy without equity misses the point entirely
What intentional mentorship looks like and why it benefits the whole firm
Why firms that act courageously on their values right now will win the long game on talent
 
Resources & Links
Connect with Steph Mason on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephani-mason-8928531/ 
Connect with Claire Costin on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/clairecostin/ 
DePaul University Accounting: https://www.depaul.edu/academics/programs/accountancy 
University of Portland: https://www.up.edu
Participate in the Accounting MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com/ 
About MOVE Like ThisMOVE Like This is the podcast for accounting firm leaders building more equitable, competitive, and people-first firms. New episodes drop bi-weekly during survey season and monthly in the off-season. Hosted by Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk.
🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode

How to Communicate Your Firm's Values When the Language Is Under Fire | MOVE Like This with Cass Bailey

When the language around diversity, equity, and inclusion becomes politically charged, many firms do one of two things: double down on the terminology or go completely silent. According to Cass Bailey, CEO of Slice Communications, both are mistakes.
Cass joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to share how firms can communicate their values with intention and clarity — even in a polarized environment. Drawing from deep experience in PR, internal messaging, and crisis communications, she makes the case that the path forward isn't about finding safer words. It's about being clear on what you actually stand for and making sure your internal culture matches what you're saying publicly.
For firms facing pressure from multiple directions — employees, clients, and ownership — this episode offers a grounded, practical communication strategy that doesn't require you to compromise your mission.
What you'll take away:
Why values-based language outlasts buzzwords in any political climate
How to spot the gap between your external messaging and internal reality — before it costs you talent
Why recruiting is your most visible inclusion metric
How to communicate clearly to stakeholders who don't all agree
What firms should be doing right now to reinforce their culture through everyday decisions
Resources & Links
Connect with Cass Bailey on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cassandraorylbailey/ 
Learn more about Slice Communications: https://slicecommunications.com
Participate in the Accounting MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com
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How Strengths-Based Coaching Transforms Retention at Accounting Firms | MOVE Like This with Angela Oakley

Most firms that try CliftonStrengths treat it as an event. Clark Nuber treats it as a culture. Angela Oakley, Director of the firm's Talent Advisor Program, joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to share what nearly a decade of strengths-based coaching looks like in practice — and why the difference between a one-time assessment and a lasting development program comes down to consistency, champions, and intention.
Angela has been building this program since 2016, embedding strengths into onboarding, performance conversations, and team dynamics. Her approach is pragmatic: start where there's openness, let success build momentum, and make strengths part of how people talk about their work every day — not just during review season.
For firms wondering why their development investments don't seem to move the needle, this episode offers a clear and practical alternative.
What you'll take away:
Why strengths-based development builds trust and engagement faster than traditional approaches
How to use CliftonStrengths in onboarding to accelerate new hire integration
The right way to find champions and grow a program without top-down mandates
Why shifting focus from weaknesses to strengths changes the entire culture of feedback
What it takes to keep a development program alive and relevant year after year
Resources & Links
Connect with Angela Oakley on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angela-oakley-8a72a44/ 
Learn more about Clark Nuber: https://clarknuber.com
Participate in the Accounting MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com
🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode 

The Business Case for ESG & B Corp Certification | MOVE Like This with Jennifer Harrity

What if your firm's commitment to sustainability wasn't just the right thing to do — but a genuine competitive advantage? Jennifer Harrity, Director of Sustainability at Sensiba, joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to share how B Corp certification transformed her firm's ability to attract talent, align with purpose-driven clients, and build long-term resilience.
Jennifer didn't start in sustainability — she was Sensiba's marketing director before guiding the firm through B Corp certification in 2018. That experience became the foundation for a sustainability practice that now helps clients with everything from greenhouse gas reporting to fractional sustainability leadership.
Her message is practical and direct: ESG isn't charity. It's strategy. And even in today's politically charged climate, the business case hasn't changed.
What you'll take away:
Why B Corp certification is a recruiting and business development differentiator
How ESG initiatives can generate measurable financial returns
Why the work still matters even when the language is under fire
How to align with clients and partners who share your values
What firms should be doing now to prepare for rising ESG standards
Resources & Links
Connect with Jennifer Harrity on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jenniferharrity/
Learn more about Sensiba: https://sensiba.com
Participate in the Accounting MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com
🔔 Subscribe so you never miss an episode