An Interview with Juliette Crellin, Senior Consultant

Juliette Crellin joined Fourth Economy in February 2025 as a Senior Consultant. She earned her master’s degree in Public Policy and Management from Carnegie Mellon University in 2022, and before joining Fourth Economy, she advised public sector clients in the Northeast and worked in community development in Central New York. 

We asked Juliette a few questions about her role, how it builds on her past professional experiences, and what she’s excited to accomplish at Fourth Economy this year. We also asked Juliette to share her favorite things about Moldova, where she served as a PeaceCorp volunteer.

You are a Senior Consultant for Fourth Economy. What does that entail? What does your work look like on any given day?

As a senior consultant at Fourth Economy, my day varies greatly depending on my projects. Some days are very social, like when I have a lot of client meetings or am conducting stakeholder interviews. On other days, I work on how to use data to convey information to our clients or tell their stories. 

You spent many years working in various roles for a Community Development Financial Institution that develops vacant properties and helps families buy and maintain homes. What insights about housing and community development did you come away with, that you now apply to work with Fourth Economy’s clients?

These days, when I think about housing in my work at Fourth Economy, I consider it at a neighborhood-level—like this neighborhood has high vacancy, or mostly homeowners, or not enough affordable housing. However, when I worked at the Community Development Financial Institution, we often talked about housing at the block level. Walking down the street, one block would be almost fully occupied, while the next would be mostly vacant. It taught me to unpack high-level data and impressions to better understand underlying community trends.

You are a certified Project Management Professional! What was a skill or idea you learned during your training that fundamentally changed the way you think about organization or leadership?

The Project Management Professional training spends considerable time on people management styles and gave me the opportunity to reflect on my own people management. One concept that resonated with me was servant leadership. In this approach, the project manager prioritizes the needs of the team, empowering them to achieve their potential and the project goals. I think there are many successful approaches to leadership, but this is the one that I strive for. 

What do you hope to accomplish with Fourth Economy this year?

I hope to experience the breadth of work at Fourth Economy by immersing myself in the firm’s many, varied projects.

You spent two years in Moldova as a member of the Peace Corps! What do you wish more people knew about the country? And is there something you especially miss from your time there?

I love talking to people about Moldova! It holds such a special place in my heart. There are so many things I love to wax poetic about from my time there. I love to tell people about Moldova’s rich cultural heritage of viticulture and winemaking. Many villages, including the one I lived in, are surrounded by vineyards and have in-town grape processing facilities. Not to brag, but I was very in-demand for grape picking. I like to think I was good at it, but I know it’s because I didn’t have the excuse of having my own land to harvest. 

The things I miss the most are my friends and the hosting culture. Many of my friends in the village would regularly make elaborate dinners with so many dishes that the plates would overlap on the table. It was like Thanksgiving at least once a week. I try to keep in touch but it’s challenging to keep up my Romanian in Pittsburgh.