January 31, 2022
The new position will promote diversity, equity, and inclusion across the accounting profession
February 1, 2022 – Bethesda, MD. GRF CPAs & Advisors (GRF), a leading provider of audit, accounting, tax, and advisory services worldwide, is pleased to announce the appointment of Trevor W. Williams, CPA, Partner to the newly created role of Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI). Mr. Williams’ new role underscores GRF’s long-term commitment to the principles of DEI within the firm and its support for meaningful change across the accounting industry. 
A founding member of GRF’s DEI initiative, Mr. Williams has played an important role in fostering a diverse workplace culture where team members feel valued and respected. In 2020, Mr. Williams led a firmwide discussion forum on race in the United States following the death of George Floyd. The “GRF United Discussion Forum” allowed team members to share their feelings on race relations in a safe space with the goal of building empathy and understanding. Following those discussions, Mr. Williams was invited to speak on DEI and talent management at the Enterprise Risk Management workshop hosted by NC State University and GRF. He was also a featured speaker on DEI at CPAmerica, Inc.’s 2021 Northeast/Midwest Regional meeting, and at the Finance and Administration Roundtable (FAR) webinar, “DEI – Next steps for Implementation and Building into Organizational Culture”. As Director of DEI, Mr. Williams will continue to speak on DEI across the industry and focus on internal strategies to train and retain current staff while implementing a robust plan for recruiting that starts at the high school level.
“As a firm partner and Director of DEI, Trevor will work with firm leaders and other stakeholders in our industry to create more equitable career opportunities, enhance hiring and training practices, and develop new strategies to ensure we continue to attract and develop a richly diverse group of individuals – not only for our firm, but also for the broader accounting profession,” said Jackie Cardello, CPA, President and Managing Partner.
Mr. Williams earned a Bachelor of Science degree in accounting from Temple University, and he is a graduate of Leadership Greater Washington’s Class of 2014. A partner with the firm for 6 years, Mr. Williams works with a wide range of nonprofit clients while managing audit engagements and mentoring young team members. His commitment to nonprofits also includes serving as a board member for the Center for Nonprofit Advancement, Finance and Administrative Roundtable (FAR), and the Greater Washington Society of CPAs (GWSCPA). Mr. Williams is also active in the National Association of Black Accountants and the American Institute of CPAs.
About GRF CPAs & Advisors
Headquartered in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan region, GRF CPAs & Advisors (GRF) is a full-service professional services firm providing clients with accounting, tax, and advisory solutions. For over 40 years, the firm has supported the financial and operational success of for-profit and tax-exempt organizations locally, nationally, and around the world.
GRF is one of the few privately held accounting firms that specializes in serving the nonprofit industry. Formed in 1981 through the merger of the practices of Michael C. Gelman and Jerrold Rosenberg, the firm expanded in 1988 with the addition of Michael A. Freedman and became Gelman, Rosenberg & Freedman CPAs. Now known as GRF CPAs & Advisors, the firm employs more than 140 staff including partners, principals, and staff accountants as well as paraprofessional and administrative personnel. GRF is consistently recognized among Inside Public Accounting’s Top 200 Firms, Accounting Today’s Best Accounting Firms to Work For, and the Washington Business Journal’s Top 25 Accounting Firms. Accounting Today also honored the firm among their Firms to Watch and Top Firms in the Capital Region.
The firm is a member of CPAmerica, Inc., one of the largest associations of CPA firms in the United States. Our membership guarantees clients access to the expertise and resources of more than 4,000 accounting and advisory professionals at 78 member firms throughout the country. CPAmerica is a member of Crowe Global, providing our firm with access to the eighth largest accounting network in the world with over 200 independent firms in more than 130 countries.