CFP Board Appoints Dawn Harris as Director, Diversity & Inclusion for the Center for Financial Planning

Certified Financial Planner Board of Standards, Inc. (CFP Board) announced today that it has named Dawn Harris as its Director of Diversity & Inclusion for the Center for Financial Planning. In this newly created position, Harris will be responsible for advancing diversity and inclusion programs and growing the number of diverse CFP® professionals within the financial planning profession.

“CFP Board and the Center are committed to advancing a culture of diversity and inclusion throughout the financial planning workforce,” said CFP Board CEO Kevin R. Keller, CAE. “Dawn brings experience and skills that will strengthen our D&I strategic objectives and programs that help drive a more diverse financial profession.”

Reporting to Center Managing Director D.A. Abrams, CAE, Harris will identify, develop and implement the key D&I initiatives of the Center for Financial Planning to increase the number of diverse and women entrants into the CFP® certification pipeline. She will develop strategies to leverage D&I efforts resulting in positive business and social impact. And, she will be the lead subject matter expert on the Center’s annual Diversity Summit.

“Dawn possesses a strong record of leading and managing diversity programs and strengthening relationships with key stakeholders,” said Abrams. “Her key responsibility is to expand access to competent and ethical financial planning by increasing the number of diverse CFP® professionals.”

Harris brings to the Center more than 15 years of experience in program development and execution, diversity and inclusion initiatives, community engagement and marketing.

Most recently, she served as Managing Director, Diversity and Inclusion, at NASCAR where she expanded awareness, participation and support of NASCAR in diverse communities. Harris previously worked as Director of Marketing for the Women’s Foodservice Forum, Chicago, and as Marketing Consultant for the Multicultural Foodservice & Hospitality Alliance, Minneapolis.

Harris earned a Master of Business Administration degree from Clark Atlanta University, and a Bachelor of Science degree from the Ohio State University. She also earned a community problem solving certificate from Harvard Kennedy School, Executive Education, and has taken graduate coursework in nonprofit management from Case Western Reserve University.