Rachel Robert, CPA

Chief Financial Officer, The 5^th Avenue Theatre

With nearly 40 years’ experience as a CPA, Rachel's work for the last 30 years has been in the not-for-profit industry, with 25 of those years as Director of Finance & Operations at the Seattle Repertory Theatre, before joining the 5^th Avenue Theatre in the fall of 2019.  While at the Seattle Rep, Rachel developed and implemented integrated budgeting, forecasting and accounting systems that 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 also values the critical role of financial reporting in telling the story of an organization’s impact in the community. As a guest speaker, Rachel has shared examples of effective not-for-profit fiscal management and reporting 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, Seattle Arts Fellowship program, and Clark Nuber’s Not-for-Profit Board Governance Conference. She has also collaborated on presentations on grant management and reporting at the Puget Sound Grant Writers Association’s annual conference, and on the critical nature of integrated fund development and finance communication at the WSCPA Not-for-Profit Conference and AFP Advancement NW Conference.

Rachel has a BA degree in Business Administration (accounting concentration) from the University of Washington and is currently pursuing an MBA degree at Seattle Pacific University with plans of graduating in June 2024. Rachel has been an adjunct faculty member for Seattle University’s Masters in Arts Leadership program, teaching Financial Management for the Arts from 2013 through 2019 and rejoining the program in 2022 and 2024. She is the founding member and coordinator of the CFO Arts & Culture Round Table, whose 38 local member organizations have been sharing creative, financial management solutions monthly for the last 25 years. She served on the Children’s Home Society of Washington Board of Trustees from 2015 – 2023 as Treasurer and Foundation Board President.  She has served on the Board and Finance Committee for Hedgebrook – Women Writer’s Residencies since 2021. Rachel and her husband David have two adult sons Andre' and Christopher.