CFA Institute CEO and leadership

I am proud to lead CFA Institute and its more than 170,000 members worldwide in promoting the highest standards of education, ethics, and professional excellence in the investment profession.

Sheri Littlefield is a Managing Director, General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer at CFA Institute and is based in Charlottesville, Virginia. She has worked as General Counsel at GE Industrial Solutions; Counsel at Nixon Peabody LLP; and Counsel, Hudson River Program at General Electric (GE). Sheri studied at GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY between 1987 and 1991, Boston University School of Law between 1991 and 1994, and Niskayuna HS.

Chartered Accountant with global

CFO, Controller and Operational Risk Management experience gained from leadership roles at top tier organizations.

Develops, builds and leads operating models to deliver strategic financial and business results through stakeholder partnerships, strategic financial planning and a solid understanding of underlying operational processes. Quickly identifies, designs and delivers cost-effective, risk-managed and compliant solutions to enterprise-wide opportunities.

Known for large change program leadership, innovative cost management and the design, implementation, and leadership of globally integrated and scalable shared and managed services.

Also engaged in advisory, diagnostic and consulting work enabling business goals for start-ups and complex organizations alike.

James (Chris) Ainsworth is a Chief Operating Officer at CFA Institute.

Champion of brands. Enabler of customers. Empowerer of people.

Michael is known for his high energy and imaginative thinking. He has led marketing teams in multimillion- and billion-dollar organizations, driving steady growth and profit through visionary marketing strategy and disciplined execution.

Michael’s track record includes developing brand positioning and corporate marketing strategy and programs, as well as successfully launching new products and services, leading portfolio and product management, enabling sales teams, and developing audience-focused programs to achieve ever-increasing market share.

His motivational style and collaborative leadership motivate his team to do better than their best. He rewards both hard work and brilliance, nurturing talented groups of people to repeatedly deliver superb creative and analytic results.

Currently, Michael does just that as Managing Director and CMO for CFA Institute. As the leading professional body for the global investment management industry, the organization serves more than 180,000 members across 165 countries. Michael’s worldwide team of 125 people align centralized global strategy with regional marketing execution. Together, they orchestrate all marketing-related functions, including product marketing, regional marketing, advertising and PR, branding, internal communications, content, digital and mobile, and global customer service.

Diane Basile is a Mng Dir/CFO at CFA Institute and Senior VP/CFO/Treasurer at AMERICAN SCIENCE & ENGINEERING, INC.. She has worked as VP:Investor Rels & Corp Comm at MERCURY SYSTEMS INC and VP:Finance at NUANCE COMMUNICATIONS, INC.. Diane works or has worked at Staples and PERKINELMER INC and works or has worked as Chief Financial Officer at Intronis, MEMBER at Society of CFA Institute, and MEMBER at Boston Security Analysts Society. She attended Boston College and The Wharton School.

Sheri Littlefield is a Managing Director, General Counsel and Chief Legal Officer at CFA Institute and is based in Charlottesville, Virginia. She has worked as General Counsel at GE Industrial Solutions; Counsel at Nixon Peabody LLP; and Counsel, Hudson River Program at General Electric (GE). Sheri studied at GEORGE WASHINGTON UNIVERSITY between 1987 and 1991, Boston University School of Law between 1991 and 1994, and Niskayuna HS.

Champion of brands. Enabler of customers. Empowerer of people.

Michael is known for his high energy and imaginative thinking. He has led marketing teams in multimillion- and billion-dollar organizations, driving steady growth and profit through visionary marketing strategy and disciplined execution.

Michael’s track record includes developing brand positioning and corporate marketing strategy and programs, as well as successfully launching new products and services, leading portfolio and product management, enabling sales teams, and developing audience-focused programs to achieve ever-increasing market share.

His motivational style and collaborative leadership motivate his team to do better than their best. He rewards both hard work and brilliance, nurturing talented groups of people to repeatedly deliver superb creative and analytic results.

Currently, Michael does just that as Managing Director and CMO for CFA Institute. As the leading professional body for the global investment management industry, the organization serves more than 180,000 members across 165 countries. Michael’s worldwide team of 125 people align centralized global strategy with regional marketing execution. Together, they orchestrate all marketing-related functions, including product marketing, regional marketing, advertising and PR, branding, internal communications, content, digital and mobile, and global customer service.