Women in supply chain: Emily Gisolfi

April 17, 2024

Emily Gisolfi is a Senior Consultant at Deloitte Consulting LLP in the Supply Chain & Network Operations (SCNO) practice. Emily joined Deloitte as an Analyst in 2016 and worked in the Government & Public Services (GPS) practice before earning her MBA from The Wharton School through Deloitte’s Graduate School Assistance Program (GSAP). She rejoined the organization in 2022 and currently works in Deloitte’s SCNO Smart Factory practice.

Emily holds an MBA in Operations Management and Sustainability from The Wharton School and a BA from Georgetown University in Economics and Business Administration.

Can you tell us about your educational background, and how you joined Deloitte within SCNO?
Before joining Deloitte, I studied Economics and Business Administration at Georgetown University. At the time, I did not have a clear picture of what I wanted to do after school, so I prioritized broad internship experiences which exposed me to potential career paths. I interned at a government agency where I saw firsthand the impact and scale of federal work, and I later worked at an investment firm where I was energized by the fast-paced client services environment. In searching for a full-time position, I wanted a combination of my two previous experiences which ultimately led me to Deloitte’s GPS practice in 2016.

My first project was in the finance space, and I quickly learned that this type of work did not energize me. As I searched for different types of projects, I stumbled upon an internal Supply Chain Shark Tank competition and decided to sign up even though I knew nothing about supply chain and did not know a single person in the SCNO practice. I was paired with a fantastic team, and we worked on an interesting theoretical problem—optimizing DC metro car occupancy with RFID tags. The competition highlighted the tangible nature of supply chain work and got me excited about the potential impact and scale of supply chain solutions. This experience, coupled with the incredibly warm community, convinced me to officially align with SCNO.

Tell us more about your decision to pursue an MBA with Deloitte’s GSAP program experience and how it impacted your career.
After spending four years in Deloitte’s SCNO practice, I realized I wanted a more formal operations education. I was fortunate to be sponsored by Deloitte's GSAP program and went on to earn my MBA from The Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania specializing in operations and sustainability. The GSAP program was an amazing opportunity that allowed me to take a pause from work and fully immerse myself in my education and professional development.

During my time at Wharton, I built a strong network of peers with diverse perspectives that helped me think about business problems in a more holistic manner. After my first year, I interned at a retail company in a global operations group focused on demand planning. This experience provided a different perspective on supply chain work and broadened my view of the field beyond the government space.

My MBA experience, combined with advice and support from my Deloitte network, encouraged me to explore supply chain opportunities with commercial companies. As a result, when I returned from GSAP, I decided to transition to the commercial SCNO practice.

How did you find your niche in Smart Factory and why do you enjoy the work?
I started my SCNO journey focusing on supply chain strategy for the Department of Defense and military services. Here, I learned about advanced technologies such as digital twin/digital thread and additive manufacturing which sparked my interest in the Smart Factory space. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to work with clients on developing their smart manufacturing strategy and implementing the necessary hardware and software elements to bring that vision to life.

I am energized by Smart Factory work because it brings together multi-disciplinary teams and offers tangible results. Through this work, I get to be at the forefront of industry trends and work with cutting-edge technologies to bring the future of manufacturing to our clients.

Share how the culture and people at Deloitte have supported your journey. Do you have any mentors that have helped you along the way?
My favorite part about Deloitte is the people. Over the years, I have interacted with incredibly intelligent and thoughtful individuals who have enriched my professional journey.

One of my first mentors at Deloitte was Kelly Marchese who is an SCNO leader across both the GPS and commercial practices. Kelly has been actively invested in my career since I joined as an analyst and was instrumental in my decision to align to SCNO. Her energy and enthusiasm are infectious, and she leads by example in bringing her authentic self to work. Kelly has helped me build a strong network of SCNO women through which I have found connections and support in a traditionally male-dominated field.

Another one of my mentors is my fantastic coach, Laura Carpenter, who is a commercial SCNO AI leader. She was instrumental in getting me plugged into the commercial SCNO community and is the reason I have found my home within the Smart Factory practice. Laura challenges me to step outside of my comfort zone by encouraging me to take on stretch roles that support my professional development goals.

Whatever challenges I face, I know I can always turn to Kelly and Laura for support. They have both been incredible advocates and have played pivotal roles in my growth and development at Deloitte.

What advice would you give to other women considering or currently working in supply chain?

• Embrace the opportunities that this dynamic and evolving field offers. Don’t be intimidated by the technical aspects or the fact that it has traditionally been a male-dominated field. Your perspective and skills are valuable and needed.
• Seek out mentors and build a strong network. Don’t shy away from asking for guidance or help when needed. There are many people who are willing to support you.
• Continual learning is key in this rapidly changing field. Stay curious and open to learning new technologies and strategies.
• Lastly, believe in your capabilities. You have unique strengths and insights to bring to the table. Be confident and don’t hesitate to voice your ideas and opinions.

Discover your impact at Deloitte

Learn more about supply chain and network operations at Deloitte, and read another women in supply chain story.  

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