Michelle Gadsden-Williams

As Managing Director of North America Inclusion and Diversity, Michelle Gadsden-Williams is responsible for further strengthening and accelerating the company’s efforts to foster an inclusive culture. Michelle joins Accenture with more than 25 years of experience as an advocate for equality within corporate America and a thought leader around diversity and inclusion. Michelle is an award-winning author and seasoned diversity practitioner with experience working in the consumer goods and pharmaceutical industries before transitioning to financial services in 2011.

Michelle was the former, Managing Director and Global Head of Diversity & Inclusion at Credit Suisse AG. She provided strategic direction and thought leadership, and championed the development of an inclusive environment by integrating diversity practice into all aspects of the business. She has held positions of global responsibility in the diversity management arena by living in Switzerland for close to 10 years of her corporate career and managed staffing functions for large multi­national corporations such as Credit Suisse, Novartis, and Merck & Co, Inc. Prior to her tenure at Merck & Co., Inc, Michelle has also held positions in Human Resources and Product Development at Philips­Van Heusen Corporation and Wakefern Food Corporation, both headquartered in New Jersey.

Michelle earned a bachelor’s degree in Marketing, a bachelor’s degree in Communications from Kean College of New Jersey, and a master’s degree. in Organizational Dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania. She is a proud member of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority Incorporated and the Executive Leadership Council. Michelle serves on several boards including the Jackie Robinson Foundation, Black Girls Rock, the SLE Lupus Foundation, and an Executive Committee Member of the Women’s Leadership Board of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. Michelle and her husband David Jamal Williams, Co­-founder and CEO of Ceiling Breakers, LLC, live in New York City.