Member Moment

OSCPA Member Rachel Johnson, CPA, CGMA, has served in many leadership roles within the Society, but one of her greatest impacts is in her work promoting Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives in Oklahoma's accounting industry.

Inspiration for Johnson's passion for DEI stemmed from her own experiences entering the accounting profession.

"When I began my career in Kansas, accountants had to fit the stereotype and be part of the norm," she said. "I wanted better for people who started their career after I did. I continue to look for ways to enrich the path for those starting out."

Johnson has served on the OSCPA's DEI Committee since 2020 and is currently serving as the Committee's 2022-2023 chair. 

"[The Committee's] goals are to educate ourselves and our members about implicit biases we have in the workplace, how to recognize and work on overcoming them and to increase the diversity in our profession by providing scholarships to disadvantaged students."

While on the Committee, Rachel has helped collaborate with Deloitte to create the CPA Exam Prep Scholarship for accounting students who identify as minorities and is helping plan the OSCPA's first Diversity and Equity Summit, on Nov. 16, 2022.

Q&A with Rachel Johnson, CPA, CGMA

Wire: What have you enjoyed about being on the DEI Committee, and what inspired you to take on a leadership role with the Committee?
Johnson: Mostly I have enjoyed working with the other DEI committee members and the OSCPA staff. I didn’t imagine that DEI would be a topic that people are passionate about, let alone be an important discussion in the accounting profession. Every person who has been on the committee has shared their passion, which in doing so has only increased mine. I am impressed with the OSCPA for bringing DEI to the forefront in Oklahoma, and I want to be someone who helps achieve the mission.

Wire: What are the areas of DEI you think the accounting profession falls short?
Johnson: No. 1: Understanding and recognizing implicit biases. Everyone has them, but sometimes we don’t recognize what they are and how those biases affect our own behavior towards others.

No. 2: DEI isn’t just about race and gender, it’s also about people with disabilities, LGBT+, neurodivergence, generational gaps and cultural differences. Recognizing and accepting these differences in the workplace has been long overdue.

Wire: Do you have any suggestions for CPAs wanting to promote DEI more actively in their work and lives?
Johnson: Educate yourself, review your beliefs and become a genuine ally for diverse groups. Help change the conversations we have to encourage growth and understand differences. Also, join the OSCPA’s DEI Committee and share your perspective with us.

Wire: Is there a message you would like to share with other members about the importance of learning about DEI and prioritizing it in the workplace? 
Johnson: “It’s common sense!” I learned years ago to stop saying that phrase. As I’ve worked with people from different states, different upbringings, different socioeconomic statuses, different generations, different religions and different cultures, etc., I’ve learned that something could be considered “common sense” to someone with my life experiences; however, it is not “common sense” to someone with completely different background. Learning about diversity, equity and inclusion can help us understand that there is no such thing as “common sense.”