Consulting Magazine - March 2014

35UNDER THE RISING STARS OF THE
PROFESSION

TITLE:
Director
AWARD CATEGORY:
Client Service
KENT

Since joining
PwC, Emily
Kent’s
career progression has been
rapid. Her 2012 promotion to
Director within the Forensic
Services practice reflected as
much. A CPA and Certified
Fraud Examiner, she is presently
the lead Director on the largest
Forensic Services project for
PwC, coordinating a team of 150
people in connection with a class
action settlement.

“I can honestly say that I love going to work every day,” Kent says.

“I thrive in the high pressure and
fast-paced lifestyle that a consulting
career offers because it constantly
challenges me. I have had the op-
portunity to work with and learn
from some of the most intelligent
and hardworking colleagues and cli-
ents in extremely challenging situ-
ations, where we have managed to
meet our clients’ needs and have a
great time in the process. There’s a
lot to be said about that.”
She credits much of her success to
the collection of incredible colleagues
and clients I have worked with, and
in particular, the PwC partners who
have supported her along the way.

But Kent is now paying it forward
as an active participant in mentoring
other future woman leaders at PwC.
Being recognized for the award
validates a fact that she’s known for a
long time, she says, which is that she
works with a large team of extremely
talented professionals assisting her
clients in some very high profile and
challenging situations every day.

“Words cannot describe how honored I am to receive this award, but this award should be equally shared by PwC, my engagement team and my clients,” she says. “All of these players equally deserve this award and without any one of them, it would not have been possible.” ★

When he
was just
14, Garrett
Kephart’s parents sent him to
Keewaydin Canoe Camp in
Northwestern Ontario for seven
weeks. He spent the next 14
summers as a camper and guide in
the Canadian wilderness.

These experiences, Kephart says, shaped his appreciation for the natural world and provided an opportunity to develop leadership skills. It also tested his intuition in survival situations. He still takes the canoe trip each year.

When he’s indoors, Kephart is fo-
cused on effecting change on both the
management consulting and venture
advisory sides of the house.

In addition to his account leadership role with Point B’s largest social sector clients, he also launched the Energy, Resources and Sustainability Community Practice for the firm. As if that wasn’t enough, Kephart also guided Point B’s first-ever Sustainability Report and Action Plan.

“The impact and cadence of disruptive social, environmental, financial, and technological change is increasingly difficult to predict,” he says.

“This unlocks exciting opportunities
for consultants, especially in areas
such as energy, resources, sustain-
ability, and global health.”
In addition, Kephart has won
awards from the U.S. Department of
Energy for financial management ex-
cellence during the American Recov-
ery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. “I
am most proud of my work in support
for the U.S. Department of Energy’s
economic stimulus program.

All of that, he says, pales in comparison to what he considers his greatest achievement, his one-year-old son, Sawyer. “As a consultant, it’s difficult to explain what I do. I’m hopeful this award will make my profession more tangible to him… once he’s able to talk.” ★