The 2020 Top 25 Consultants: Judith Kulich

"We work side by side with our clients to deliver solutions that drive value," she says. "I'm proud to support my clients in their efforts to develop drugs that make a difference in patients' lives and improve the standard of care, particularly in markets with significant unmet need such as rare disease and oncology."

But the thing Kulich says she is most proud of is building and leading ZS's Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI), a group dedicated to helping women build successful consulting careers by enabling professional growth, fostering an inclusive working environment and supporting individual choices.

"When we established the WLI more than 10 years ago, I recognized the need to better support our women firmwide, and I'm pleased with the positive impact this group has made in career advancement and retention," she says. "In our current COVID-19 pandemic, I'm proud to be doing what I can to help my firm, team and clients through the challenges they face. It gives me hope and keeps me going to know I am doing what I can to be part of the solution, ensuring patients still to get access to the best new therapeutics and that the individuals I work with continue to grow and thrive."

The two things Kulich has loved most about this profession are the people and the dynamic nature of continuously tackling new challenges. "We hire such bright, curious people, and I'm impressed and motivated by them every day. I also love the problem-solving. The work requires high energy, critical thinking and close attention, and it's satisfying to help my clients succeed," she says. "We are thrown new challenges every day—most recently, the immense challenges the industry and we all are facing as a result of COVID-19. It's been fascinating and inspiring to support my clients through this, and to do what I can to be a part of the solution. I can honestly say that I haven't been bored in 20 years!"

As consultants and ZSers, it's in everyone's nature to do whatever it takes to produce the best work for our clients. "With any client engagement, my goal is to do the right thing and support them to the best of our abilities. And while that's an ongoing goal, the feeling is especially prevalent during this current crisis," Kulich says. "I'm also excited to bring to life new investment areas in the year ahead. I lead ZS's pipeline and launch strategy practice and I look forward to bringing new innovations forward, expanding ZS's footprint in new growth areas, and seeing more of my team develop into amazing leaders as our practice continues to grow."

Q&A: What has motivated you to excel over the course of your career?

Kulich: I've had a fire inside me since I was a child and a strong desire to grow and take on new challenges. I never want to be complacent, so I'm always looking toward the future and the next challenge. Being a woman in a leadership role, I am also motivated to blaze new trails, prove myself and my capabilities and serve as a role model to others.