Darden School of Business

Jon Edwards
Managing Director

In three words: I’m Intellectually Curious, Analytical and Supportive.

At Accenture Strategy we are able to support our clients who are facing new levels of disruption and changing customer and market dynamics from strategy through implementation. We invest significantly in innovation and training to stay on the cutting edge of what our clients and people need to be successful.

I have consistently been in roles that challenged me to learn new skills and ways to help our clients, and to further my development as a leader. One of my coolest roles was developing the growth strategy for a spirits client based on consumer insights. This led to an innovative new product and changes in marketing, category management, pricing, and distribution.

We have a great network and people are always willing to help. We are also always looking for new ways of doing things are surprisingly entrepreneurial for a large company.

Outside of work? I enjoy traveling, watching movies, going to baseball games, and relaxing with my family.

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Ryan Rayborn
Strategy Senior Manager

In three words: I’m a Father, Drummer and Outdoor-Enthusiast.

Accenture Strategy has given me the opportunity to help clients on their most important issues in their most important areas of the business. It is a great place to develop strategies that will be executable, and to operate at the intersection of business and technology.

I’ve been on a number of great projects, and each one is interesting for a different reason. From a functional perspective, I developed a location strategy and performed site selections across the globe for a large products company. I’ve also developed technology strategies for many interesting clients, including a video game producer and a professional sports league office.

I have appreciated the fact that my colleagues at Accenture are interesting, down to earth people. Accenture strikes a good balance of driving to achieve amazing results for our clients, while still maintaining a collegial atmosphere.

My daughter is responsible for most of my time away from work. I also play drums in a rock band called Pale Houses (look us up, we are on Spotify). As a family we are frequent travelers and go on camping trips as often as possible.

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Katie Sexton
Strategy Manager

I’m an early-bird who is goofy and driven. Let’s call that 3 words…

Like many people who enter consulting, I was seeking a variety of professional exposure in a short period of time. When I interned with Accenture Strategy though, it became very clear to me that I was a culture fit for the firm. So, I’d say what brought me in was the variety and what has kept me are the people!

Accenture has afforded me the opportunity to learn far more in a shorter period of time than I had expected. Whether it’s working on a project or whitepaper, at a formal training in St. Charles or a virtual training tailored to your specific career level – I’ve definitely had the opportunity to learn and grow at Accenture. My current project is pretty cool – leading the customer experience design team for an AI-powered chatbot.

It sounds so simple but I work with people who I like, respect, and learn from. Our culture is anchored in teamwork so I’ve met many close friends at Accenture. I also think the flat organizational structure supports an overall lack of pretension.

Outside of work I like to bike and workout. I like to travel and eat food that other people make smile. And generally spend time with my rockstar husband and sweet dog.

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Meryem Cocciardi
MBA Campus Recruiter

In three words: I’m Relationship-driven, Strategic Thinker and Empathetic.

In my role, I’m challenged (and motivated) to think of innovative ways to engage with the MBA candidates and help them decide if Accenture Strategy is the right fit for them (and vice versa).

We have a team-focused, innovative culture at Accenture Strategy and it shows in the way we partner with clients. I’ve always been fascinated by how the consumer mindset is impacting the way our clients deliver their products and services, and our firm is uniquely positioned to offer traditional business and digital solutions.

We have a supportive team environment, and an approachable and open-minded leadership team. We always strive to improve, while celebrating success along the way.

Outside of work I enjoy running (I’m training for my first marathon), photography, cooking, traveling, and spending time with my husband and puppy.

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