MOVE Like This!

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
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Why Belonging - and Not Just Inclusion - Is the Real Goal | MOVE Like This Ep. with Donny Shimamoto

There's a difference between being included and truly belonging — and for many women and professionals of color in accounting, that gap is exactly where careers stall. Donny Shimamoto of the Center for Accounting Transformation joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to explore why the profession keeps losing diverse talent before it reaches leadership, and what firms can do differently.
Donny speaks from personal experience as an Asian leader in the profession, bringing both candor and optimism to a conversation that also tackles the political headwinds facing DEI efforts today. His argument: when firms stop treating diversity as a separate initiative and start integrating people-centered practices into their overall strategy, belonging becomes a competitive advantage — not a checkbox.
The episode also announces an exciting new research collaboration between the Accounting MOVE Project and the Center for Accounting Transformation.
What you'll take away:
Why belonging is a more meaningful — and measurable — goal than inclusion
How neutral language can expand DEI participation without diluting the mission
Why retention of diverse talent fails at the leadership level — and how to change that
What it looks like to integrate people practices into firm strategy
Details on the new MOVE + Center for Accounting Transformation research initiative
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Resources & Links
Full episode on CPA Trendlines: https://cpatrendlines.com/2025/05/14/donny-shimamoto-reimagining-diversity-and-belonging-in-the-accounting-profession-move-like-this/ 
Connect with Donny Shimamoto on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/donnyitk/ 
Center for Accounting Transformation: https://improvetheworld.net 
Participate in the MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com 
 
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Skills Testing as a Secret Weapon for Hiring & Retention | MOVE Like This with Ashley Kostos

What if your next great hire isn't the one with the most impressive resume — but the one who actually scores highest on the job? Ashley Kostos, Sales Manager at Accountests, joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to explore how data-driven skills assessments help accounting firms hire smarter, develop talent faster, and remove bias from promotion decisions.
Ashley shares how assessments built specifically for the accounting profession go beyond the interview to measure real-world technical skills, software fluency, and personality traits like ethics and resilience — and how firms are using that data not just to screen candidates, but to build meaningful career paths.
In this episode:
Why resumes and interviews aren't enough to assess true readiness
How skills testing reduces bias in hiring and promotion
Using assessment results to build tailored onboarding and development plans
The Pathway to Partnership report — benchmarking employees against leadership traits
Why re-testing every few years leads to stronger, more resilient teams
If your firm is losing people and not sure why — or hiring on gut instinct and hoping for the best — this episode will change how you think about talent decisions.
MOVE Like This is the podcast for accounting firm leaders building more equitable, competitive, and people-first firms.
Learn more about the Accounting MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com
#AccountingLeadership #CPA #PublicAccounting #TalentStrategy #WomenInAccounting #AccountingMOVEProject #HiringBestPractices #AccountingFirms

How BPM's CEO Embeds Inclusion Into Firm Strategy | MOVE Like This with Jim Wallace

What does it look like when a firm's CEO truly leads DEI from the top? BPM CEO Jim Wallace joins host Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk to share how his firm has woven diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging into its business strategy — not as a side initiative, but as a core operating principle.
 
Jim shares how BPM's guiding value, "Because People Matter," shows up in everything from leadership development to colleague resource groups (CRGs) — and why measuring belonging is just as important as measuring revenue.
 
In this episode:
✅ Why DEI must live in your strategic plan, not on the sidelines
✅ How top-down commitment creates firm-wide momentum
✅ Using engagement surveys to track belonging — and acting on the results
✅ How colleague resource groups drive connection and inclusion
✅ The metrics BPM tracks to hold itself accountable
 
Whether you're a managing partner, HR director, or firm leader wondering how to move from intention to action, this conversation delivers a practical, honest look at what it takes.
 
MOVE Like This is the podcast for accounting firm leaders building more equitable, competitive, and people-first firms. Hosted by Bonnie Buol Ruszczyk.
 
Learn more about the MOVE Project: https://accountingmoveproject.com 
 
#AccountingLeadership #DEI #CPA #PublicAccounting #WomenInAccounting #MOVEProject #AccountingFirms #InclusionAtWork

MOVE Like This - Carrie Steffen, Iowa Society of CPAs

In this episode of MOVE Like This, Bonnie speaks with Carrie Steffen about what she’s seeing from her new role as CEO of the Iowa Society of CPAs. After 25 years advising firms on growth and marketing, Carrie stepped into the CEO role in 2025 with responsibility for member engagement, education, and legislative advocacy. One of her earliest takeaways is that communication is far more complex than it appears. A state society represents professionals across different firm sizes, geographies, and career stages, and reaching them effectively requires clear, intentional messaging that builds trust and keeps people connected to the profession.
Carrie also links today’s talent pressures to broader economic realities and generational expectations. Professionals entering the workforce during uncertain economic periods often prioritize stability, flexibility, and a sense of community. In that environment, belonging is no longer a “nice to have.” It plays a central role in whether professionals stay in the field, develop within their firms, and see a future in the profession.
The conversation also explores the profession’s pipeline challenge and why fewer students are choosing accounting. Carrie suggests part of the problem is messaging: the profession often highlights deadlines and workload instead of the impact and opportunity that a CPA career can offer. At the same time, accounting is competing with highly visible careers in tech and finance. Firms that want to remain relevant will need to tell a more compelling story about the stability, versatility, and long-term career paths accounting provides while also listening to younger professionals whose perspectives will shape what the profession becomes next.

Jessica McClain, Girl Scouts CFO, Joins the MOVE Conversation

Just in time for Girl Scout cookie season, we talk to Jessica McClain, the organizations newly-appointed CFO. On this episode, Jessica and Bonnie talk about the importance of "belonging" in the workplace. Research shows that at least 64% of people feel the need to hide some aspect of their identity from their co-workers. Trying to keep part of yourself hidden is stressful, and the energy used to perform a certain way is energy that is not being used to perform a job and take care of client needs. We discuss what individuals can do to embody authenticity, and what situations indicate it is time to move on to another job. We also talk about what accounting firms can do to create a culture where people of all stripes feel safe to be themselves. You can learn more about Jessica here or on LinkedIn. 

Amy Yip, Keynote Speaker & Author, Joins the MOVE Conversation

On this episode, we talk about why so many women are "people pleasers" and have such a hard time saying no when needed. We dive into how to identify our boundaries and literally practice saying "no" until we are comfortable doing so. We then expand on that conversation to discuss what firm leaders can do to create a culture where client needs are met and team members support each other yet everyone can ask for what they need and say no when appropriate too.
To learn more about Amy's work, visit her website here: https://amyyipcoaching.com/  

Safiya Reid with Pure Insurance Joins the MOVE Conversation

Today, we leave the accounting profession for an episode and talk to Safiya Reid, the AVP of Employee Engagement with Pure Insurance. We talk about how she got into the DEI space, why focusing on naysayers is not the best use of our time, and reiterate how this work is all about adding opportunities – not subtracting them. We also talk about how we both look forward to a day when we work ourselves out of a job in DEI because it is fully integrated into workspaces, and we get her advice on how firm leaders can create more inclusive cultures where people want to work and feel they belong. 
To learn more about Pure Insurance, visit https://www.pureinsurance.com/

Sandra Wiley with Boomer Consulting Joins the MOVE Conversation

Strap in because this one is longer than most but well worth the time investment. Sandra Wiley, president of Boomer Consulting, joins to discuss Boomer's DEI Consortium, the talent shortage, and how firms can rise above the talent shortage. But we also discuss how DEI is a "human issue" even though many try to politicize it, particularly during these few weeks prior to a presidential election. We share personal stories and how each of us learned that listening to others is vital to improving the human condition for all of us. 
Sandra also mentioned some books in this podcast, including:
The Third Option: Hope for a Racilly Divided Nation by Miles McPherson
White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism by Robin DiAngelo
Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead by Sheryl Sandberg
Everyone Communicates, Few Connect: What the Most Effective People Do Differently by John Maxwell
Embracing Your Power: A Woman's Path to Authentic Leadership and Meaningful Relationships by Marsha Clark
To learn more about Boomer Consulting, visit https://www.boomer.com//