By: Lauren Engates '26

When a business is evaluating a candidate for a high-level hire, how could they minimize risk and ensure the candidate is a trustworthy, safe choice for the role? How could a multinational company use digital forensics to uncover hidden financial transactions and actionable insights?

These are a few of the challenges tackled by investigative consultants, explained Morganne Howell as she kicked off the Sheedy Family Program’s monthly dinner speaker series on Thursday, September 12.

Morganne Howell ‘16 is the Director of Research, North America, Forensic Investigations & Intelligence at Kroll, an international risk consulting firm. Howell graduated from Notre Dame with a major in PLS and minors in Philosophy, Politics & Economics, and Italian. She specializes in applying open-source intelligence to complex investigations, uncovering critical information, and mitigating client risks.

Howell shared how her liberal arts background enriches her investigative practice, highlighting the unique value that the humanities bring to the business world. She emphasized the role of empathy in her work, which allows her to see each subject as a whole person, not just a case file. This human-centered approach helps investigative consultants uncover key insights by harnessing curiosity, open-mindedness, creativity, and critical thinking. Howell stressed the importance of asking insightful questions, understanding individuals within the broader context of their lives, and analyzing their digital footprint to effectively solve the cases she takes on.

As is tradition at Sheedy dinners, students engaged in small-group discussions over dinner, exploring “big questions” inspired by Howell’s talk, followed by a large-group Q&A with her.

Zach Zieleniewski, a junior in the Sheedy Family Program with interests in law, economics, and politics, knew little about investigative consulting before Howell’s visit, he said. For him, a key takeaway from her dinner presentation was that most career paths are nonlinear, and that is “completely fine.”

“She emphasized the importance of trying out different jobs and exploring various opportunities to discover what you truly enjoy,” he said. “I also appreciated her insight on how each role you take on teaches valuable skills that can be applied to future positions, even if they’re in completely different fields.”

The next morning, six Sheedy students joined Howell for brunch at Rohr’s to dive deeper into the theme of “Digital Footprints: Ethics and Legalities.” She shared her experience using open-source intelligence in digital investigations, discussing the legal and ethical complexities of tracking individuals' online activity. This prompted attendees to reflect on their own digital footprints and how they may be perceived.

Lauren Engates '26 is double majoring in Marketing and Film, Television, and Theater. She joined the Sheedy Family Program as a sophomore and is also a member of Mendoza’s Business Honors Program. Lauren works as a tour guide for undergraduate admissions, is a Media Distinguished Leader for the Sheedy Program, and previously served as President of her residence hall. She gained valuable industry experience as a Marketing Intern for Big Sun Solar in San Antonio during summer 2024 and is eager to explore more opportunities to expand her marketing expertise.

Originally published by Scott Howland at sheedyprogram.nd.edu on October 04, 2024.