As managing director of North America Inclusion and Diversity at Accenture, Michelle Gadsden-Williams is responsible for further strengthening and accelerating the company’s efforts to foster an inclusive culture.
A seasoned practitioner, Michelle joined Accenture in July 2017 with more than 25 years of experience as an advocate for equality within corporate America and a thought leader around inclusion and diversity.
She was co-founder and chief executive officer of Ceiling Breakers, a consulting organization focused on women’s empowerment and diversity initiatives. Prior to founding her own business, Michelle served as the global head of diversity and inclusion at Credit Suisse and as chief diversity officer at Novartis. She has been widely recognized for her work as a diversity practitioner, including receiving the Maya Way Award for Diversity Leadership by Dr. Maya Angelou.
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. She also is an Executive Committee Member of the Women’s Leadership Board of the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.
She received bachelor’s degrees in marketing and communications from Kean College of New Jersey and a master’s in organizational dynamics from the University of Pennsylvania.
Michelle and her husband David Jamal Williams, Cofounder and CEO of Ceiling Breakers, LLC, live in New York City.
