West Monroe Names 2018 Class of Fischer Global Service Fellows, Celebrates 5th Year

CHICAGO – West Monroe Partners, a national business and technology consultancy, today announced its 2018 class of Fischer Global Service Fellows. Now in its fifth year, the Fischer Global Service Fellowship Program provides West Monroe employees a three- to six-month leave from their day job to support a philanthropic and humanitarian issue of interest, anywhere in the world.

West Monroe launched the Global Service Fellowship Program in 2013. The firm renamed the program in 2015 to honor the firm’s co-founder and first CEO, Dean Fischer, who inspired the organization with his commitment to building healthy communities and preserving the natural environment.

The 2018 Fischer Fellows include:

• Valentina Nguyen, a senior consultant in the Technology practice in New York City, who will work with Campfire Innovation to support the refugee crisis in Greece. She will apply her background in analytics and solution implementation.
• Jon Magin, a senior manager in the Mergers & Acquisitions practice in Seattle, who will deliver strategic planning and operational improvements for Tsandza Weaving in Swaziland, helping the organization develop a formal charity arm to extend its impact beyond social entrepreneurship and economic empowerment.
• Patrick Miller, a manager in the Technology practice in Chicago, who will work in construction and renovation with International Volunteer HQ in Ubud, Indonesia, developing physical infrastructure that improves living conditions and access to opportunities.
• Francesca Gabales, a senior consultant in the Customer Experience practice in Seattle, who will work as a community outreach volunteer with Campfire Innovation to support the refugee crisis in Greece. She will focus her efforts in camps and arrival points.

“We congratulate this new group of Fischer Fellows, who have exciting and rewarding journeys ahead. The passion our people demonstrate in their proposals and while on this fellowship is extremely inspiring to all of us,” said Chief People Officer Susan Stelter. “Not only do our employees return having made an impact on the organizations they served , but they return as better professionals, leaders, and consultants. A Fellow’s impact extends beyond their personal journey – everyone at West Monroe becomes part of the experience, whether through group fundraising or remote team and technology support.”

The four new Fischer Fellows join 16 other West Monroe professionals who previously completed fellowships, supporting causes that include literacy, clean water, gender equity, mental/behavioral health, economic empowerment, human trafficking, and more. Fischer Fellows have served on almost all continents, as well as in the United States.

Interested employees research opportunities to make an impact in an area of interest, identify and contact an organization with which they can work to do so, and then develop a proposal. A West Monroe committee solicits and reviews the proposals annually and awards several applicants with fellowship opportunities.

“The opportunity to truly blend your job, your professional skills, and your passion doesn’t come around very often,” said Dean Fischer, now chairman of West Monroe’s Board of Managers. “We are very proud of the program. It has had an impact on organizations and people well beyond what we originally envisioned.”

The Fischer Global Service Fellowship Program received a Social & Community Investment Award from Consulting® magazine in 2016. West Monroe has also been named a top workplace for giving back and was recently listed on PEOPLE’s 50 Companies That Care.

“Our people want to do work that matters—both from a professional and philanthropic standpoint. This program gives our employees the outlet to take an extended work leave without having to leave West Monroe entirely,” said Megan Lantz, senior manager and program coordinator. “Our Fellows frequently rely on other colleagues in the firm to lend their expertise from afar during the fellowship. This brings everyone along on the journey. The program has become an important thread in the fabric of our firm.”

Read personal accounts from past Fischer Global Service Fellows. 

About West Monroe Partners
West Monroe is a national business and technology consulting firm that partners with dynamic organizations to reimagine, build, and operate their businesses at peak performance. Our team of more than 1,000 professionals across nine offices is comprised of an uncommon blend of business consultants and deep technologists. This unique combination of expertise enables us to design, develop, implement, and run strategic business and technology solutions that yield a dramatic commercial impact on our clients’ profitability and performance. For more information, visit www.wmp.com.

Media Contact
Christina Galoozis
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cgaloozis@westmonroe.com 
312.447.6623