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Taking resource management from background player to business enabler with Kate Brooke

Hosted by Christine Robinson

3 July 202545 min

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S3 Ep3 Flipping the script on resource management with Kate Brooke

Season 3 of Resource Revolution continues with a conversation that flips the script on resource management—reframing it from behind-the-scenes task to front-and-center business enabler.

In Flipping the script: Taking resource management from background player to business enabler, host Christine Robinson is joined by Kate Brooke, Firmwide Resource Management Leader at Moss Adams at the time of recording, now Director of Resource Management at Baker Tilly following the firm’s merger with Moss Adams. With over 15 years’ experience in resource management, Kate brings deep expertise and a clear vision for the true potential of the profession. She also brings the drive to lead the change—making her a role model for anyone looking to elevate resource management.

We’ve picked out a few standout moments—but the full episode is essential listening.


“Strategy wrapped in admin's clothing.”

If there’s one line that captures a defining challenge for the resource management profession, it’s this.

Too often, the way resource management is perceived within the business is the first hurdle to recognizing its strategic importance.

Christine and Kate share that while resource management is frequently seen as a purely administrative function, it’s actually a strategic lever hiding in plain sight—or at least, it should be, if recognized and elevated in the right way.

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0:14

“I think that really reflects broadly on the perception of our profession, our role as resource managers in the industry—because I have this idea that sometimes resource management is strategy wrapped in admin’s clothing.” - Christine Robinson


Together, they unpack the disconnect between what resource managers actually do and how the role is positioned—and why it needs to be reframed as a strategic partnership with engagement teams, delivery leads, and firm leadership—not a back-office support task.

Play snippet
1:09

“What challenges me most is the ongoing conversation around administrative asks and tasks—and the mindset that resource management should simply be taking admin off the engagement team’s plate. In my view, engagement managers and resource managers need to work closely together. Resource managers need to know when a job is starting, the type and complexity of the work, what skills are needed, and how long it will take. That’s not an administrative burden—that’s the start of a really valuable conversation.

What often comes out of those conversations is a reflection on how we, in resource management, are positioning our asks of our people. We have to be really efficient with what we ask them to do, how we explain it—and we need to hear their feedback. It’s a partnership. We’re not here just to lift admin—we’re here to help accomplish the work in the most informed and efficient way possible.” - Kate Brooke



“Listen to the words beneath the words.”

If resource management is too often mistaken for admin, then part of the solution lies in how resource managers respond to those perceptions. For Kate, the answer starts with curiosity. It’s about pausing to ask: What’s really being asked here? Is this the best way to help? Is there a more strategic response?

Kate encourages resource managers to listen for the unspoken need behind every ask. Christine echoes this, reflecting on how the value often lies not in the request itself, but in the conversation it sparks.

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0:55

“If someone asks for an availability report, chances are they’re trying to solve something. What’s happening? What’s the bigger picture? The conversation is where the value is.

I do think there is room for curiosity and also taking the initiative to feel comfortable to ask those questions.” - Christine Robinson

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0:50

“If you just send the report without thinking about why they need it, you’re stuck in admin mode. But if you ask: Would a different report be more useful? What else can I help with?—that’s when it becomes strategic. You’re still delivering, but you’re also opening the door to something more.” - Kate Brooke



“It works today—but will it work tomorrow?”

For Kate, successful leadership in resource management means staying open to change—and driven to innovate. That kind of innovation doesn’t happen by accident. It takes deliberate, forward-thinking effort—especially when it comes to the systems, processes, and technology firms rely on.

As teams grow and client demands shift, Kate encourages resource managers to ask the tough questions: Will this still serve us if we grow? Is it still fit for purpose?

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0:35

“I try to always keep this mindset: maybe the process I have today works well—but would it still work if I had twice as many people to resource, or three times as many clients to schedule? Keeping that in mind has helped me stay open—to innovation, to change, to new ways of thinking. Because sure, what we’re doing might feel comfortable today, but it won’t hold up for tomorrow. - Kate Brooke


After 18 years with Moss Adams, Kate has seen the firm undergo constant evolution. That experience has shaped her belief that while everything around it may shift, resource management should serve as a core pillar of stability within the business.

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1:01

People may change, clients may change—but resource management needs to remain steady.

We need to have the best, most efficient processes in place. Our team needs to feel stable—and we need to project that sense of stability to the people we support. Without clients, we don’t have people. Without people, we don’t have an organization. And resource management sits at the heart of that—making sure jobs are resourced properly.

I think more eyes are on this now than ever before. So we need to ask: what are the best practices we have today? What do we need to evolve for the future? And who do we need on the team to help us get there?” - Kate Brooke



“Resource management is at the heart of the people experience.”

Kate and Christine spotlight a crucial but often overlooked truth: resource management doesn’t just shape how work gets done—it influences how people feel about their work, and the career opportunities they see for themselves.

From day-to-day allocation to long-term development, the decisions made in resource management can help shape careers. Over time, these decisions can determine whether talent feels valued, stretched, overlooked—or ready to move on.

Kate shares her perspective that resource management can be the bridge between business needs and individual growth.

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1:33

I think you have to stay closely connected to your people. At the end of the day, we need clients—and we need people to do the work. The happier our people are, the happier our clients are. It creates a virtuous cycle.

Everything from how people are progressing in their careers, to the opportunities they’re getting, to how they feel about their workload—that all comes back to resource management. We have the ability to make a huge impact on the employee experience, and that has a ripple effect across the entire organization.

The moment people start to feel undervalued or disconnected from the work, they begin to disengage. And we can’t afford disengagement when there’s important work to be done and growth to achieve. Resource management can be that bridge in so many ways. Kate Brooke

 


“Don't wait for the job description."

Continuing the theme of career development, Kate shares valuable advice—especially relevant in a profession where clear pathways don’t always exist.

In resource management, roles and responsibilities are still evolving. That’s why, for Kate, it’s not just about following a predefined path—it’s about helping create it. Her advice? Don’t wait. Be bold. Speak up.

She reflects on how, throughout her career, proactively expressing interest—before a role even existed—helped her grow. And how that mindset has helped others do the same.

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0:39

I really believe in thinking about where you want to go—and telling someone. Asking for something, even if it doesn’t exist yet. I can think of multiple times when I went to the chief people officer I was working with, before we even had a resource management leader role, and said, ‘I’d really be interested in doing this and being involved if it ever becomes an opportunity.’

I’ve done that throughout my career. And I think that, along with staying really engaged, has helped me get to where I am—and I’ve seen it help others grow into leadership roles too." - Kate Brooke



“Tech will elevate our role–if we let it.”

Kate shares her thoughts on how technology—especially AI—has the potential to significantly enhance the role of resource management. But the benefit doesn’t come automatically. It depends on how teams approach change.

Drawing on first-hand experience leading a major tech rollout, Kate reflects on the mindset shift required to make transformation successful. The goal shouldn't be to recreate the past in a new system—it’s about painting a more efficient picture of what’s possible.

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0:29

"If you’re going through a technology change and your only goal is to replicate what you’ve always done in a new tool, that’s the wrong mindset. Kate Brooke


For Kate, technology isn’t about removing human element—it’s about creating space to do more meaningful work. It’s about streamlining the repetitive, so resource managers can focus on strategy, people, and impact.

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0:44

"When it comes to day-to-day resource management, I do think technology is going to play a big role in helping us. There are some really exciting developments happening. I was just reading about how KPMG is using AI in their recruiting team—answering questions around the clock. It doesn’t take the person out of the process, but it helps digest all that information faster.

I can see something similar on the horizon for us—where technology can make what we do more meaningful, while also improving the experience for our people." -  Kate Brooke

 

“Strategic resource management is a business essential.”

One message resonates loud and clear throughout this episode: strategic resource management is no longer a background player. It’s not just supporting the business—it’s helping to steer it.

As firms grow and become more complex, knowing how work is assigned—and having clear controls in place—becomes mission-critical. And as Kate predicts, that shift toward truly strategic resource management is only going to accelerate.

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0:40

I think we’re going to see a major shift toward strategic resource management. Those of us in the profession have always known the value lies in the strategic side—but now we’re seeing more organizations recognize that too. They’re starting to understand that if you don’t know how your work is being assigned, that’s a huge problem. And if you don’t have controls in place around that, you’re losing touch with what’s really happening in your business. I think that’s only going to become more of a focus going forward. Kate Brooke


To hear more listen to the complete episode.

 

 

On this episode

Christine

Christine Robinson

Christine is a resource management expert, bestselling author, and award-winning speaker, as well as an advocate for women and underserved families. A first-generation Latina college graduate, she has led national teams, launched international ventures, and founded Resource Management In The Wild to empower organizations.

Kate Brooke

Kate Brooke

Kate Brooke is a resource management leader with 18 years of experience in public accounting. While leading a global RM team at Moss Adams LLP, she has recently directed a firmwide RM system implementation and regularly collaborates across the organization to manage process and technology change.

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