Clarkston Associate Consultant Shares Career Story and What Pride Means to Her

Kayla, associate consultant and Pride Network Lead at Clarkston, shares her experience with the firm and her reflections for Pride month! Read her career story below.

In honor of Pride Month, what does Pride mean to you?

Pride is a celebration of being authentically and unapologetically who you are. Pride is about family, community, and support. The way we celebrate Pride now is an immense privilege that we should remember is not shared by all and was fought for by many. By celebrating Pride the way we do today, we honor those who cannot celebrate and continue in their fight for equality. 

How long have you been with Clarkston?

I have been with Clarkston for about two years. I joined in May 2022 as part of the Jumpstart program.

What is your role at Clarkston?

I am a consultant working within the retail vertical on training and OCM related projects. Internally, I am the Pride Network Chair for the firm.

Tell us about a new skill you’ve developed recently.

Recently, I’ve been working on improving my team leadership skills, both within internal initiatives and on client projects. This has involved learning how to coordinate tasks effectively, delegate responsibilities, and foster strong teamwork. Developing these skills has been very rewarding as I continue to grow in my career.

If you had to choose, which of Clarkston’s core values do you feel resonates with you the most?

The core value that resonates with me most is diversity. As a queer person, it is vital to me to be in a workplace environment where diversity is celebrated. I truly believe that we are better consultants and people when we encourage others to bring their diverse backgrounds and experience openly to all that we do.

Which internal initiatives, communities, or projects are you involved in at Clarkston?

I am the chair of the Pride Network working on initiatives to foster community for LGBTQ+ stewards at Clarkston. I work with an amazing leadership team to create events, programs, and provide safe spaces for queer stewards. My time on this team has been incredibly valuable to me, and I am grateful that our queer stewards have these spaces to be authentically themselves.

I am also involved in our OCM Interest Group as a leadership team member working on Professional Development and Communications & Outreach with the goal of engaging our OCM stewards and providing opportunities for further professional development within that skill.

What advice would you give to someone starting at Clarkston?

Ask questions sooner rather than later! Everyone at Clarkston is very willing to help you and wants to see you succeed.

In your experience, what qualities make someone a good consultant? 

Flexibility and organization! As consultants, things can change quickly, and you must be able to be quick to adapt to changing situations.

Learn how you can develop your career at Clarkston here.