Rachel M. Robert, CPA 
Director of Finance & Operations 
Seattle Repertory Theatre 

With over 30 years experience as a CPA, Rachel's work for the last 28 years has been in the not-for-profit industry, with 23 of those years as Director of Finance & Operations at the Seattle Repertory Theatre.  While at the Seattle Rep, Rachel has developed and implemented integrated budgeting, forecasting and accounting systems that have increased the efficiency and effectiveness of the Theatre's fiscal management, particularly critical in challenging economic times. She has a strong interest in strategic planning and the importance of financial leadership in supporting and facilitating the strategic direction of an organization. She has given presentations on the power of implementing an organization's strategic plan as part its annual budget process for the WSCPA’s Not-for-Profit Conference, the American Society of Women Accountants' National Conference and at the University of Washington Evan’s School of Public Affairs. 

Rachel has a BA degree in Business Administration (accounting concentration) from the University of Washington. Before she and husband David started their family, she served on the Washington State Society’s Not-for-Profit Committee from 1992 - 1997, winning the State Society’s Chair of the Year Award in 1996. Rachel also served on the Washington Society of CPA’s (WSCPA)’s Strategic Planning Committee and Board of Directors (1997 – 2000).  Over the years, Rachel has been a guest speaker on not-for-profit fiscal management for the University of Washington Extension’s Certificate Program in Nonprofit Management, University of Washington’s Graduate Schools of Museology and Public Administration, Seattle University’s Masters in Arts Leadership program, and Clark Nuber’s Not-for-Profit Board Governance Conference, as well as collaborative presentations on grant management and reporting at the Puget Sound Grantwriters Association’s annual conference and the critical nature of fund development / finance communication at the WSCPA Not-for-Profit Conference and AFP Advancement NW Conference.

In 2013, Rachel became an adjunct faculty member for Seattle University’s Masters in Arts Leadership program, teaching Financial Management for the Arts. Rachel was a CFO of the Year finalist for the Puget Sound Business Journal in 2007 and is the founding member and coordinator of the CFO Arts & Culture Round Table which has been sharing ideas monthly for the last 20 years. Rachel and her husband David have two grown sons in their twenties.