The 2022 Women Leaders In Consulting: Rochelle Rivas

Rivas brings over 25 years of leadership experience to North Highland, with deep expertise directing strategic and operational functions for organizations. Before joining the firm, Rivas founded DARTON Group Consulting, a boutique consulting firm in the senior finance, accounting and project management space. She served as CEO for the firm for over 10 years, which was sold to CliftonLarsonAllen in 2018. She also served as vice president for Prism Companies, as well as District manager positions for Office Depot and Staples. Rivas has been recognized as a Most Admired CEO in Charlotte by the Charlotte Business Journal as well as one of the 2018 Business Women of the Year by Enterprising Women Magazine.

She leads a North Highland team responsible for 100M in revenue and new logos across eight industries. She sits on the North Highland Enviable Culture committee that strives to make our organization the best for its consultants and staff. Through their initiatives, they have provided extraordinary health care, wellness and community benefits for all staff members. She drives growth for the firm through multiple Agile EBAP team and leads the Firm's steering committee that support all industry work.

Additionally, Rivas is deeply committed to serving her local community. She sits on the Executive Leadership Team for the American Heart Association as well as the Executive board of directors for Big Brothers Big Sisters of Greater Carolinas. Rivas is a community advisor for Dress for Success and is active in Women Executives serving on the board of directors for WINGS.

What do you enjoy most about your consulting career?

I love being able to be involved in multiple disciplines, multiple industries and the breath of experience that people pour into me. I fuel my engine with input from humans, we are unpredictable, we are unique and we are what brings the best in each of us. People, are what I enjoy the most about my career.

What do you consider your greatest personal or professional achievement?

In addition to being the proud mother of two extraordinary, smart and dedicated Division 1 athletes, I am extraordinarily proud of the network of strong professional women that I have created. These connections between smart and hard-working women have resulted in moving the needle for individual careers as well as having a positive impact on the world around us. It's these connections that have unleashed potential and led to some amazing innovations in business. I truly believe we are better together, and so it only fits that my greatest personal and professional achievement is something that involves the many other women who have been a part of my journey. My contribution to my community is in equal measure as my business accomplishments, I lifted a lot of ships at one time.

What advice would you give to a female consultant just beginning her career? 

Know when it is time to yield. Having a sense of self-awareness for when someone else in the room has more insight, knowledge and expertise than you do. There is no glory to be won in attempting to be the smartest or have all the answers. When you yield to others, you show that each person is valued for their talents and that consulting is a team sport. Everyone shows up better when they know they will be valued.

What's the best advice—personal or professional—you've ever received? 

Be bold and ask early. This advice applies in understanding and simplifying client challenges and helping the firm to sell and grow. By courageously asking the right questions it is that much easier to get to the root cause of problems and to make the matches between skills and knowledge that help us overcome our challenges. Too often do we nod our heads in agreement without fully understanding- so take the step and be brave to ask what may seem obvious- someone else is probably wondering the same thing. Sit in the moment, the good moments, the bad moments. Sit in the problem before you try to solve and sit in the joy before you move on.

What does being honored as a Woman Leader In Consulting mean to you?

I am always humbled and honored when recognized by my colleagues. This recognition is particularly important because it acknowledges the work I have been doing not in be my personal best, but to bring out the best in others. Great mentors are the enablers of others, and there is no higher calling than to lead through service. At a time in my career that I needed to reinvent myself with the move into North Highland, I would certainly feel humbled in the fact that the work on the inside was showing up on the outside. I have now had the ability to see myself without such a critical lens and impart that onto other people.