What did you do prior to The Parthenon Group?

I joined Parthenon following graduation from Kellogg. Prior to Kellogg, I held a variety of roles at Wal-Mart’s online division, Walmart.com. My first role was in the corporate strategy group where I worked on strategic planning, corporate development and new business opportunities. After corporate strategy, I wanted the opportunity to build and operate a business while working with cross-functional teams. Managing several of Walmart.com’s gift-related businesses (gift registry and gift cards) and the ISP business afforded me this chance. Before joining Walmart.com, I was a financial analyst in investment banking with Deutsche Banc Alex. Brown’s Technology, Media and Telecom practice.

Why did you select The Parthenon Group?

I chose strategy consulting after business school as an opportunity to gain broader exposure to industries and business challenges/situations. Parthenon stood out for many reasons. Primarily I was attracted to the firm’s entrepreneurial culture and its practice mix of private equity, corporate strategy and education. Whether on the client advisory side or in my corporate role at Walmart.com, it has always been important to me to work someplace where my company and the clients with whom we worked were entrepreneurial. Parthenon stood out as a consulting firm that truly embraces this entrepreneurial spirit, both in the way it has built itself over time and in its approach to solving clients’ challenges. Additionally, the two-case model at Parthenon was very appealing as it offers the chance to accelerate my learning and exposure to different client situations.

What are the leadership opportunities at The Parthenon Group?

One of the things that drew me to the Parthenon San Francisco office was its small size and what that size meant for taking on leadership roles early on in my career. That can mean a variety of things, such as more ownership over pieces of client engagements, leading internal initiatives or supporting new business opportunities.

What was your favorite case to date?

I have had the opportunity to work on many cases and all have been unique and interesting, making it difficult to pinpoint one favorite case. Whether it be helping an education client develop a re-engagement center for youth who have dropped out of school or working on a corporate strategy case with a restaurant client looking to more clearly define its brand and explore opportunities for growth or working on many diligences for private equity clients, I have enjoyed all of my casework and find that I am constantly being challenged and learning something new.

How does The Parthenon Group fit into your life outside of work?

One thing that has become extremely clear to me since joining is that Parthenon values the lives of its members outside of work. While we definitely work hard, I continue to find time to pursue other interests. However, the people here are so great that I find myself spending plenty of time with Parthenon members socially, whether it is dinners or drinks with colleagues, San Francisco Parthenon women’s events or training for the annual Waves to Wine ride with co-workers

What do you like about your home office's location?

San Francisco is a world-class city. It offers everything one would expect from a major cosmopolitan city including the arts, music, sports and great food. Plus, the surrounding Bay Area offers great outdoor activities. There are countless places to hike, run, and cycle. Skiing in Tahoe is only a three-hour drive away.

What is your favorite quality about The Parthenon Group?

First and foremost, the people are my favorite thing about Parthenon. A major driver in my decision to join Parthenon was the group of people with whom I would have the opportunity to work. The teams at Parthenon bring together a very diverse set of professional and personal backgrounds, challenging each of us to deliver creative solutions to our clients’ problems. With such a diverse and fun set of people, it is always easy to find someone who is up for going on a bike ride, grabbing dinner or whatever you might have an interest in.