Meet Krissy Davis

“I’ll never forget those early moments in my career and what I learned. I was able to overcome some big hurdles by showing up as myself. With my teams today, I try to stay open, transparent, and very connected. There are never any secrets with me.”

Krissy Davis, 26, walked back to her office with an intense look on her face. She realized she had just been presented with the opportunity of a lifetime. But would it push her to the brink? Could she really pull this thing off?

It was only five years into her career when some Deloitte & Touche LLP partners asked Krissy, a new manager at the time, to run the entire pursuit for a significant new piece of work at one of the Boston office’s largest, and most critical, clients.

In describing that moment, Krissy leans into the video call and tries to capture how incredulous she felt that day. “Run it?” she says with widened eyes.

Built on a salt marsh in Bourne—a Cape Cod, Massachusetts vacation town—Krissy’s grandparents’ home was a source of strength and guidance while she was growing up.

Krissy’s grandfather, Roland, was a loving but strict school superintendent who instilled the value of education in his granddaughter. Marie, Krissy’s grandmother, was a nurturing, well-educated nurse. Roland exuded authenticity and candor. Marie was compassionate and engaging.

Both grandparents valued education immensely and often talked with Krissy during those Sunday conversations about what she was working on in school.

“They taught me to believe that I could do whatever I wanted to do in this world. Get a good education, be humble, be hard-working, that you could do anything you set your mind to,” Krissy shares.

Today, as she reflects on the huge opportunity that was offered to her so early in her career, Krissy shares what she’s learned about herself. But moreover, she thinks about everyone she’s counted on.

Krissy also reminds herself that no progress exists without hurdles, especially for professional women.

“Like many female professionals, I’ve suffered from a bit of a mentality that I need to do it all right away, that I need to be perfectly equipped and comfortable to take on new leadership roles or stretch assignments. I’ve had to learn the idea of ‘being comfortable being uncomfortable,’ which does not come naturally to me.”

In summer 2021, Krissy became the first woman ever to lead Deloitte’s US Investment Management practice.

“Gender equality in business has always been incredibly important to me. I’ve had the great honor to lead Deloitte’s Women’s Initiative here in New England. And I’ve enjoyed opportunities to share Deloitte’s journey with clients and others who are embarking on a similar journey themselves.”

But if Krissy could devote herself to anything else? She says she would focus on the issue closest to her heart—early childhood development and education.

For the past several years, Krissy has served on the boards of her local United Way as well as her children’s school. Krissy also represents Deloitte in a coalition of Boston-area business organizations, nonprofits, and other entities that are advocating for policies and programs that make early childcare and education more readily available to workers in Massachusetts.

“It’s a huge passion of mine. I really want to help drive better quality early childhood education, and more equality in terms of access for every family and every child, irrespective of socioeconomic status. Those early years of a child’s life are so formative. It’s so important that we get this right for the children—all children.”

Whether advocating for clients and colleagues, women, or children, Krissy weaves the roots of her family with a professional resilience. But it’s been a journey.

And Krissy never forgets how it felt to be under tremendous pressure.

“Deloitte and I are increasingly investing more time in ensuring that our people are being taken care of—that physical and emotional well-being is front and center. I am super mindful of these challenging times we’re living in and the stresses that are placed on our people.”

Though it was more than 25 years ago, Krissy says it still seems like yesterday when she accepted her initial offer to join Deloitte. But woven through all of Krissy’s trials and successes is a common thread: the authenticity she was raised with. It never left her.