Chaifetz School Launches Expert in Residence Program

As part of its ongoing effort to provide students with innovative and impactful educational opportunities, Saint Louis University’s Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business has launched a new Expert in Residence (XIR) Program to bring subject matter experts from the field into the school to share their expertise with students, faculty and staff. Chaifetz School Alumna Tamika Mitchell (Finance, ‘05; MBA/MHA, ‘08) will serve as the program’s first expert in residence with a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion. 

“This new program is an exciting opportunity to enhance student learning by adding experts from the field to our talented community of teacher-scholars here at the Chaifetz School,” said Tricia Bagsby, Ph.D., Medart Clinical Professor of Family Business and Interim Director of the Emerson Leadership Institute. “This will provide students the opportunity to learn not only from faculty conducting leading research across business disciplines, but also leading practitioners from the field who can offer invaluable insights, connections and mentoring to ensure our students are prepared at graduation to lead business as a force for good.”

Chaifetz School experts in residence will become regular fixtures in the school, volunteering on an ongoing basis throughout the year to develop and deliver content in their areas of expertise through guest lectures, workshops and support of strategic initiatives. Students will also have access to XIRs for individual and group mentoring, coaching and advising through regular office hours and other intentional programming. 

“This XIR program is a key component of our continual innovation efforts to help produce talented, ethical business leaders who can lead industry in a new direction,” said Barnali Gupta, Ph.D., Edward Jones Dean of the Chaifetz School of Business.

The first expert in residence appointed under the program reflects the Chaifetz School strategic focus on innovation, inclusion and impact. 

“We are thrilled to have Tamika serve as our inaugural expert in residence,” said Gupta. “She represents exactly the kind of business leaders we strive to develop here at the Chaifetz School – professionals committed to equity and inclusion in their careers and positively impacting their communities.”

Mitchell currently serves as a risk assurance and advisory manager at national accounting and consulting firm Armanino LLP (formerly Brown Smith Wallace) where she also represents the firm as social ambassador to Moore Global. She is an accomplished professional with experience designing, performing and managing audit plans as well as assessing financial, operational, compliance and fraud risks. But her work spearheading diversity and inclusion efforts at Armanino and in the community provide the basis for appointment as the Chaifetz School’s inaugural expert in residence. 

“We are at an inflection point when it comes to diversity, equity and inclusion in business,” said Mitchell. “Organizations are quickly seeing that commitment to a strong DEI program is both the right thing to do and a business imperative, as studies continue to link increased diversity and inclusion to greater innovation, profitability and, ultimately, competitiveness.”

A recipient of The Gates Scholarship which provided funding for both her undergraduate and graduate degrees, Mitchell has made it her mission since to connect underrepresented students with opportunities to help change their personal trajectory. She’s worked with the St. Louis Internship Program, local k-12 schools and area universities to expose students to the fields of accounting and finance, while supporting financial literacy and education initiatives.

“These issues are not only relevant in higher education, but in every industry and they are also issues I am personally passionate about,” continued Mitchell. “I have spent my career ensuring the doors I open stay open behind me, having been an advocate for diversity strategy throughout my career and in my current role at Armanino. I look forward to sharing best practices in DEI strategy at every level - from identification and recruitment of underrepresented talent to professional development that ensures the next generation of executive leadership is truly representative of our society.” 

Students are encouraged to share recommendations for subject matter areas they would like to see represented in the Chaifetz School’s XIR Program. Industry professionals interested in learning more about the program can contact Dr. Bagsby at eli@slu.edu.

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Founded in 1910, the Richard A. Chaifetz School of Business at Saint Louis University has shaped the future of industry for more than a century. As one of the oldest business schools west of the Mississippi, the Chaifetz School has built a reputation as a leader in business education committed to innovation, inclusion and impact and recognized with eight undergraduate and graduate programs nationally ranked by U.S. News & World Report.