Law Firm Waller Names Ron Snitker as First-ever Chief Diversity Officer

Waller Lansden Dortch & Davis LLP has appointed Ron Snitker as its first Chief Diversity Officer at the Nashville-based law firm.

Snitker will be responsible for overseeing and executing the firm’s diversity, equity and inclusion strategy in concert with Waller’s Diversity Committee. This includes internal and external initiatives such as collaborating on recruiting, retention, firm culture, programming, leadership development and community engagement.

Snitker is the former three-term president of the Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce. He has led Waller’s financial services industry team as Executive Director since 2015. “Over the last seven years, I have witnessed Waller’s commitment to diversity, equity and inclusion,” Snitker said. “This is an exciting opportunity to play a central role in expanding those efforts.”

DRIVING DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION

“Ron is a proven leader both here at Waller and in the community,” stated Waller Chair Matt Burnstein. “We are fortunate that he’ll be driving the firm’s mission around diversity, equity and inclusion.”

Before joining Waller, Snitker spent nearly 15 years in a variety of roles with UBS, the multinational investment bank and financial services company. Additionally, he co-chaired UBS Pride Americas, an internal employee network developed to help sustain an LGBT-friendly environment. Snitker served as president of the Board of Directors of the Nashville LGBT Chamber of Commerce from 2018 through 2020 and received the President’s Award in 2021 for his service to the organisation. Snitker is a graduate of the 2020 Class of Leadership Nashville. He is also a graduate of the Young Leaders Council where he was named Young Leader of the Year in 2018. Since 2014 he has been an Advisory Board Member of the MTSU LGBT+ College Conference and a volunteer with several Nashville-area nonprofits since arriving in Nashville in 1995.

Snitker holds dual MBAs from the Haas School of Business (University of California, Berkeley) and Columbia Business School, as well as a BBA in Finance and a BA in Music Performance from the University of Iowa. Snitker resides  in Nashville with his husband, Doug Alexander.

Check out our Movers and Shakers section for more new appointments in the DE&I, ESG and wellbeing space.