25 Voices, 25 Years continues with Beth Marrion, Senior Managing Director at Accenture and current Board Chair of NextUp. As a long-time member of the organization, Beth has experienced firsthand how NextUp shapes careers and the people in them. In this profile, she reflects on her journey through the community, the insights she carries with her, and the leaders she has met along the way.
You’ve been a member of the NextUp community for 18 years. What led you to joining originally?
Mike Gorshe, retired Accenture Managing Director and one of the founders of NextUp, asked me if I’d be interested in attending the Forum in Dallas back in 2008. After registering for the event, Mike then came back and asked if I would be interested in leading a panel discussion with 3 rockstar execs from American Express, Ahold and CVS – of course, I said yes!
Is there a specific NextUp event, program, or experience that stands out as a favorite? What made it memorable for you?
Over the years, I’ve attended more than 25 Summits and Forums, and one of the most impactful speakers I’ve ever experienced was Alison Fragale at our 2024 Summit. Alison challenged the way we think about women’s success in the workplace, underscoring a powerful truth: success is shaped not only by what a woman does, but by how others perceive her.
She introduced the idea of the ideal leadership persona—one that balances warmth and assertiveness.
Too often, women are forced into a false tradeoff: being seen as competent can make them seem unlikeable, while being likeable can cause others to question their competence.
Alison named this tension clearly—and, more importantly, showed how to escape it. Her guidance on the simple, practical actions women can take to elevate their ‘status’ and influence at work was both powerful and unforgettable. It’s the advice I find myself sharing again and again with rising leaders. Alison’s book, The Likeable Badass, is an absolute must-read!
What does being part of the NextUp community give you that you did not have before you joined?
NextUp has played a transformative role in both my personal and professional journey. When I joined Accenture nearly 30 years ago, straight out of college, I never imagined that my “first job” would become a lifelong, deeply rewarding career. At the time, Accenture was a much smaller organization; today, it has grown into a global firm of nearly 800,000 people.
Throughout that evolution, NextUp has been a powerful catalyst for my own growth, giving me a platform to expand my network, elevate my leadership visibility, and stretch beyond my day-to-day role.
One of my most meaningful experiences was partnering early in my career with our CEO, Julie Sweet, and Global Inclusion & Diversity Lead, Nellie Borrero, to shape a fireside chat for the 2018 NextUp Summit in Washington, DC. The session received outstanding feedback from our members, but even more importantly, it gave me the opportunity to build lasting relationships with two of Accenture’s most inspiring and impactful leaders – an experience that has stayed with me ever since.
Equally significant has been the role NextUp has played in expanding my network beyond Accenture. Over the past two decades, I’ve had the privilege of forming deep connections and lifelong friendships with senior leaders across dozens of Fortune 500 companies.
While mentors and sponsors within my own organization are invaluable, the diversity, perspective, and breadth of relationships I’ve built outside Accenture through NextUp have been truly extraordinary – and will continue to pay dividends for years to come.
When you reflect on your time with NextUp so far, what are you most proud to have been part of or witnessed?
In 2017, a rising star named Kristine Pettoni was honored with the Bobbie O’Hare Best of the Best Leader Award in recognition of her extraordinary impact on the Atlanta region. Having joined NextUp in 2011, Kristine quickly became an inspirational force, not only in Atlanta, but across the broader NextUp community. Her passion for the organization and its members radiated through everything she did, reflected in her boundless generosity, her leadership, and her unmistakable smile.
In 2018, Kristine was diagnosed with cancer, a battle she faced with remarkable courage, unwavering resolve, and an extraordinary sense of humor. Even in the midst of her fight, she continued to lead, mentor, and uplift others. We lost Kristine far too soon at the age of 37, but her spirit and impact live on throughout NextUp. To honor her legacy, the Kristine Pettoni Courageous Leadership Award was established in 2020.
Kristine exemplified what it means to lead with resilience and vulnerability, consistently setting a higher bar in everything she pursued.
She always found time to use her voice, support others, and make a meaningful difference – determined to leave the world better than she found it, even as she faced the fight of her life. Kristine was truly one of a kind. Her courage, heart, and leadership continue to inspire us, reminding us all of the profound impact one person can have.
Every organization has a story, and ours is made up of the people in it. We are honored to share just a few of those voices as we mark 25 years of NextUp!
Thank you to our Platinum Sponsor, The Coca-Cola Company, our Presenting Sponsors, PepsiCo and Suntory Global Spirits, and our Premier Sponsor, Visa, for helping bring this series to life.
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