Strategy and operations consultant, world traveler, and lover of the environmentChantal Contijosh ’08

Chantal Contijoch remembers her first day at McLean. She was in 8th grade, and her family had come to Maryland from Mexico City for the chance to experience a new country and culture. “As my brother and I pulled up to the school, we saw kids spilling out of buses, greeting each other enthusiastically with big smiles on their faces — it felt like we were in an American movie.”

The friendly atmosphere and strong sense of community were the main reasons Chantal’s parents chose McLean School in the first place. “Here we were, coming to a new place with a new language at an age and time in my life that’s already pretty stressful,” she recalls, “but at McLean I was able to be myself and appreciate my differences, and people were open and welcoming.”

Her family quickly settled in, and what began as a two-year adventure soon became a permanent move. After McLean, Chantal went on to receive a bachelor’s degree in biology from Denison University in Ohio. Her interest in sustainability and conservation work led her to California, where she spent a couple years working for a renewable energy company. When a promotion prompted a move to company headquarters in St. Louis, Missouri, Chantal was inspired to pursue the business side of things — and an MBA at Washington University.

Chantal was thriving, but her company was not — so in 2016 she left for a technology consulting firm. “I did a lot of coding and software development but my real interest was in strategy,” she says. “One of my mentors, a VP in the company, really believed in me and even though I was fairly new to the company I was given opportunities to lead teams and advance my career.”

Much like at McLean, where, she says, “teachers pushed me in ways I needed and wanted to be pushed and engaged me in ways that made me a stronger student and helped me reach my goals.”

Today, Chantal is back in Maryland, where she and her husband Francisco recently bought a house. The two love to travel, try new food (and wine that goes with it!), and spend time with family and friends. Since February 2018, she’s worked as a strategy and operations consultant for Slalom Consulting, where she’s charged with building the sustainability practice and leads the women’s leadership network for the DC office — a coming-together of her longtime passions.

“I’ve always been committed to DEI [diversity, equity and inclusion] and also to doing what’s best for the environment,” says Chantal, and a big part of her focus is helping companies establish their environmental, social, and governance-related business practices, known as ESG. “I love helping clients answer the question of how can we do business in a way that’s sustainable?”

Chantal is quick to draw the parallel between the work she does and the McLean experience: both are tailored to the needs of each business or student, identifying and embracing challenges and strengths to bring out their best.

“Regardless of whether you have a diagnosed learning disability — and I actually do not — McLean is a school that benefits all learners with their individualized learning,” says Chantal. “I was so shy when I arrived at McLean, but the small classes and caring teachers really helped me come out of my shell.

“Being part of a supportive community like that, and exposed to different types of people and different types of learning styles, was an amazing experience.”