Ciara Walsh is known for her love of adventure and her drive to bring about positive change. Born and raised in Ireland, she studied management science and information system studies at Trinity College Dublin before embarking on a consulting career straight out of university in 2012.

Over the years, Ciara has taken several sabbaticals to pursue her passions, including winter sports, travel, and working with non-profit organizations. She spent her first sabbatical traveling across South and Central America and her second one chasing snow across the northern and southern hemispheres. She lived and worked at ski resorts in Japan and New Zealand for a full year, where she learned to snowboard and spent most days snowboarding and hiking the snow-covered mountains.

Ciara is a world traveler who has visited more than 60 countries across six continents. These travels have seen her swim with whale sharks in the Philippines, attend the 2016 Olympics in Rio, and spend several months living and traveling in California. She even completed a project in Kenya for a non-profit organization and went on a safari.

So, how did this globe-spanning Irish national decide to put down stakes in Australia? “After taking time out to do snow seasons, I decided to return to consulting in 2019 because I missed the fast-paced environment,” Ciara explains. “Australia chose me rather than me choosing Australia,” she jokes. “I was living in New Zealand, and Australia was the closest office, so here I am. I feel lucky every day that I now get to call Australia home,” she says. With nearly a decade of experience in consulting, Ciara joined Kearney in 2021. She focuses on solving transaction, transformation, and digital problems while ensuring that an industry-specific lens is applied. She strives to create a meaningful impact and empower those around her to become the best versions of themselves.

“I think it is very important to build a work culture where all teammates feel supported to have the courage to step into the unknown. This personal philosophy intertwines with our Kearney values of solidarity, generosity, curiosity, and boldness,” she says.

Ciara firmly believes in focusing on the most important things in both her personal and professional life. “Don’t sweat the small stuff,” she says. “This is definitely something that I have imbibed from my traveling expeditions.”

Ciara has been fortunate to have exposure to various role models who shaped her character and her leadership ethos. “My mom is a single mom to four kids, and she taught me the value of grit and hard work — to keep moving forward, never give up, and be authentically you. This shaped the person I am today, including my unwavering independence and sense of adventure,” she says.

Ciara has a deep love for the outdoors, as evidenced by the fact that she lives right by the beach. Connecting with nature or the ocean is how she creates equilibrium. “Hiking or snowboarding in the mountains or being in the water is how I truly disconnect and look after my mental health,” she says.

Ciara dedicates her free time to working for an NGO in Australia. “Someday, I would love to do this full time,” she says. “My dream is to create meaningful impact and drive change where it is needed the most, surrounded by inspiring people who share the same passion and inherent need to make the world a better place.”

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