Diversitas is a trailblazing nonprofit organization dedicated to advancing talent and opportunities within the wealth management industry for people and skill sets historically overlooked by companies in financial services.

Created by The University of Akron in 2017, our primary mission is to foster inclusivity through education, mentorship, and human connection, dismantling barriers to entry, and to educate students and career influencers about the wide array of roles in the profession, far beyond just math and sales..

We aim to reshape the invaluable role financial advisors play in helping people across the country plan for and achieve their financial goals. Our vision is to transform the industry’s talent pool to better reflect the diverse client base it serves, fostering growth and adapting to the changing landscape of the investor population.

By partnering with career influencers, universities and academic associations, and financial services companies, we go beyond rhetoric to empower students with tangible programs that inspire the pursuit of opportunity.

Diversitas by the Numbers

Diversitas Board Members

Efthymia “Effie” Antonoudi, CPA, CFP

Faculty & Undergrad Coordinator University of Georgia

Tonia P. Bottoms

Managing Director & Senior Managing Counsel BNY Mellon | Pershing

Carina Diamond, CFP

Founder Stella Secunda Partners

Ashley Guillemette, MPA

Director, Center for Financial Responsibility Texas Tech University

Danny Harvey

Director, Certified Fin. Planning Program & Finance Faculty Prairie View A&M University

Kate Healy

CEO & Founder, AdvoKate IQ

Jesse W. Hurst, CFP, AIF

Financial Advisor Impel Wealth Management (Cetera Financial Group)

Debra Radway, CFP, MBA

Financial Planning Program Director and Senior Lecturer Arizona State University

Suzanne Siracuse

CEO/Founder Suzanne Siracuse Consulting Services, LLC

James Thomson, Ph.D.

Professor, Department of Finance Chair UA College of Business Administration

Carolyn Wehrheim

Manager | Culture, Engagement, and Employee Development Charles Schwab & Co., Inc.

Barry Mullholland

Diversitas Founder Contact for Strategic Partnerships & Partner Universities

Abbie Sheridan

CEO, Greenrose Communications