The 2020 Rising Stars of the Profession: Kelsey Coleman

Kelsey Coleman was an engineering major in college and in one of her first classes the course was built around each group doing a consulting project with a local 'client.' She realized quickly that she wanted to better understand the client's challenges and help them find a solution that fit into their processes and made their life easier. "I was interested in working with people, complex challenges and technology, and consulting became the perfect fit," she says.

Today she is a Director and is proud of the growing team at Huron and the inclusive and collaborative culture the firm continues to develop. "It has enabled us to help universities and institutions improve their business processes and systems to better serve their students, faculty and staff," Coleman says. "I am also proud to mentor and coach several team members, both formally and informally, and to serve as a talent and culture champion across the organization and continually look for ways to make Huron an even better place to work."

The constantly changing landscape of the consulting industry and being able to help universities and institutions navigate the continuous evolution of their technology systems to better serve students, faculty and staff is what excites Coleman about consulting, she says.  

"On a more personal level, I am also excited to be able to not only contribute my own ideas to our leadership team, but to help other team members execute on their ideas." 

This has allowed Coleman to participate in Huron's recent Women in Leadership Summit and pay it forward to the technology-focused team by organizing a similar summit to support and promote the advancement of women in the workplace.

"The way technology and software is implemented is constantly changing," Coleman says. "Since joining Huron as an associate, I have been fortunate to work with a leadership team that is open to new ideas—both internally and client-facing initiatives—and is supportive of pursuing new ways to get work done to better help clients and employees succeed."

When it comes to being recognized as a Rising Star of the Profession, Coleman says it is humbling to be chosen among such a talented group of individuals. "In my career, I have always looked for ways to improve the workplace experience and foster a strong team culture," she says. "Being recognized for this award gives me a platform to further encourage inclusivity and diversity and continue to make Huron an even better place to work."

Q&A: What's the best advice—personal or professional—you've ever received? 

Coleman: "My dad told me to not only focus on the details but take a step back to see the big picture. Our clients look to us to help them solve complex challenges and find a solution that can work in a real-world setting. It is important to balance perfection and making meaningful progress with real-world constraints."