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Miriam El-Baz and Connor Novy were recently recognized at the Consulting Magazine Women Leaders Awards, a program that highlights the outstanding contributions women continue to make across the consulting profession. Miriam’s honor for Excellence in Client Service and Connor’s recognition for Excellence in Strategy & Operations underscore not only their individual achievements, but also the broader impact of women who drive meaningful progress in our industry. We are grateful to Michael Webb, Editor of Consulting Magazine, for his ongoing commitment to elevating the consulting field and championing the accomplishments of women leaders.
Below, Miriam (center) and Connor (right) share their insights, advice, and reflections on what this honor means to them:
What do you consider your greatest personal or professional achievement?
Miriam - During my junior year of college, I sustained a severe injury that resulted in two broken bones in my left leg. At the time, my medical team anticipated that I would need to withdraw from college for the semester due to the extent of the surgery and recovery required. However, I was committed to remaining on track academically and making it to my first major consulting internship that upcoming summer.
With the support of a tight network of family, friends, and professors, I developed a structured plan that enabled me to manage a full course load while undergoing intensive rehabilitation. Over the course of a year, I progressed steadily—from using a wheelchair, to a walker, to a cane, to ultimately regaining full mobility.
Completing my degree on time despite these challenges remains one of my most significant personal achievements. The experience instilled in me a deep understanding of resilience, discipline, and the value of a strong support system that continues to inform my professional approach.
Connor - Building Stax’s GTM engine—and getting senior leaders to adopt a shared, commercially-aggressive posture. The hardest part wasn’t the tooling or metrics. It was aligning a group of high-autonomy, high-opinion Managing Directors to operate as firm-first sales leaders. It took a lot of tough conversations, trade-offs, and creating space where healthy tension could drive better outcomes. It took discipline to reinforce consistent strategies and judgment to know when to flex and grace to know when to let go. We built a durable operating model where commercial decisions are made with speed, intent, and shared accountability.
What’s the best advice—consulting or otherwise—you’ve ever received?
Miriam - A long-time mentor once gave me a piece of advice that has stayed with me: “Bet on yourself.” To me, this means trusting in my own abilities, judgment, and potential—especially when facing uncertainty, taking risks, or navigating complexity. Embracing this mindset has been transformative. It has taught me to lead with my own conviction rather than wait for external validation or approval, and it continues to shape how I approach challenges, make decisions, and chart my professional path.
Connor - Your reputation isn’t built on hours; it is built on results. While a positive impact is, in the end, the only thing that matters, it is a destination decided by its journey. How you get there impacts what you achieve.
What advice would you give to a female consultant just beginning her career?
Miriam - My advice to a female consultant at the start of her career is this: trust that you belong in the room, even when it feels intimidating. Speak with confidence, ask thoughtful questions, and don’t wait until you feel 100% “ready” to contribute—your perspective is valuable from day one.
Build strong relationships early, both with peers and mentors, and seek out people who will advocate for you when you’re not in the room. At the same time, advocate for yourself—be clear about your goals, raise your hand for stretch opportunities, and don’t shy away from feedback: it's one of the fastest ways to grow.
Finally, don’t underestimate the power of staying grounded in your values. Consulting moves fast, but staying true to what motivates you will help you navigate the pressure, the pace, and the pivots—and ultimately help you build a career that’s not only successful, but meaningful.
Connor - Grace under pressure. Behave in a way you will later be proud of when the going gets tough. It's not the mistakes people remember, it’s your response to them.
What would this recognition mean to you?
Miriam - This recognition would be deeply meaningful to me—not only as a personal milestone, but as a reflection of the people and experiences that have shaped my journey. Consulting can be demanding, and like many women in the field, I’ve had to navigate moments of doubt, challenge, and growth. Being recognized in this way affirms the value of perseverance, authenticity, and the importance of lifting others as you climb. It would also serve as a powerful reminder to continue betting on myself—and to encourage other women to do the same.
Connor - This recognition would be a rare moment to pause and reflect on the impact of quietly getting the hard stuff right, and a signal to keep pushing: that the work of structuring chaos, enabling good decisions, and building a firm based on integrity is worth the struggle.
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