The 2018 Women Leaders in Consulting: Jodi Bednar

"I cannot say there is one pinnacle moment or achievement in my career that stands out above the rest, Bednar says. "Rather, there have been many little wins that amass into a great career—a collection of moments and milestones that have connected me with amazing people, broadened my knowledge and perspectives, and allowed me to travel to fun and exciting places that I otherwise would have never experienced."

Bednar is now a seasoned executive with a blend of business and technical acumen that enables her to deliver value for clients at any stage of transformation—from technology evaluation to network planning and design to implementation to operations management and ongoing network management. But it almost didn't happen.

"It was by fortune that I came into consulting," she says. "I was ready to move on to my next career challenge that leveraged my technical and business acumen while leveraging my passion for leadership and people development when I received a call from someone with whom I had worked at a previous company." He asked me if I would consider a role in consulting. 

"It was a matter of timing; the transformation that was underway in electric utilities was nearly identical to the changes that I guided other companies through in the telecommunication industry in the early 1990s," she says. "I knew that I was well positioned to help our clients on that transformation journey."  

Bednar says she enjoys working with her utility clients and teams at West Monroe, and says she is "a fixer" by nature, so collaborating with a client to solve complex business challenges with technology gives her energy and fulfilment. "I love working alongside our teams, mentoring them and watching them grow professionally and personally," she says. 

In addition to serving utility clients, Bednar also serves as the Director of Mentorship on the Chicago Chapter of the Women's Energy Network.

"Someone once told me that I should never run from something but rather, run to something," she says. "It was at a time when I was contemplating a career change, and that advice helped me view the new and existing opportunities in a different light."

Q&A: What does winning the Women Leaders in Consulting award mean to you?

Bednar: "I am humbled and appreciative to be recognized as a woman leader in client service. Of course, great client service is about the team and not an individual, but I do put a lot of energy and effort into delivering outstanding service to our clients and supporting our delivery teams in doing the same. This recognition validates that I am focusing on the right things to be effective as a leader in our industry."