In honor of Women’s History Month, we would like to shine a spotlight on Barbara Cheung, a consultant at Jabian. Barbara is an accomplished leader and an inspiration to women in the field. Learn more about her accomplishments, her journey to success, and the advice she has for women in the corporate realm.

Q: Where did you join from and what brought you to Jabian?  

A: I joined Jabian in June 2022. My background was in healthcare and my last role was at Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta as a Process Improvement Specialist, basically an internal consultant. I found myself drawn to aspects of the work that were project-based, where strategy and change management were involved, and realized that consulting work would offer the growth I was seeking. I found Jabian when researching local consulting firms. From my first interaction with HR to everyone I met through the recruiting process, I felt immediately valued and supported. It just felt like the right place to land. 

Q: What has been your experience with being a woman in corporate America?  

A: Overall, it’s been quite positive. But I know that hasn’t happened by default. With time, I’ve had to learn the importance of being intentional with seeking out companies and organizations where there’s a culture of inclusivity or there’s a strong track record of having women in leadership positions and supporting them in their professional growth.

Q: What is one thing you would tell your starting-out self if you could? Is that advice still relevant for women starting in the field today? 

A: Trust your intuition and it’s okay to have multiple paths in your career journey. I’ve realized now that recognizing when it’s time to pivot from the path you’re on should be a celebration of growth and maturity rather than something to feel disappointed in or sad about. This is relevant advice for anyone starting out. But especially women because as we move through different stages of career and life there’s so much we do to balance our lives that might require going down a different path than initially envisioned.  

Q: What advice would you give to the next generation of female leaders? 

A: I hope that the next generation of female leaders will continue to empower those around them and develop future leaders – women or otherwise. When I was an undergrad and struggling with the realization that the medical school path wasn’t the right fit, there were a couple of female consulting leaders overseeing a healthcare-focused internship program I was part of. I started asking questions about their careers and they started to nurture an interest I was developing in administrative roles. One of them helped me rotate out of the clinical placement I was in and worked with me to create an internship role supporting the c-suite of a hospital – the first of its kind. That experience set the bar high for me in looking for great mentors and female leaders. And luckily Jabian has an abundance of them!   

Barbara Cheung