Embracing change and innovation: AJ LaCroix’s career journey at ZS

When AJ LaCroix joined ZS, he wasn’t exactly sure where his consulting path would lead—but he knew he was passionate about people, systems and how change happens. Today, as a strategy insights and planning associate consultant, AJ has built a unique career at the intersection of organizational change and innovation, helping clients navigate complex transformations while forming deep, lasting partnerships.

Where passion changes lives

AJ’s journey into change management didn’t follow a straight line. “When I first joined ZS, I mostly worked on market sizing and research,” he explains. “But I’d studied cognitive science and organizational theory in school, and I was eager to explore that further.” That curiosity led him to a new initiative: shaping ZS’s cognitive approach to change management.

Collaborating with leaders from the strategy and transformation and cognitive science teams, AJ helped define ZS’s point of view on what makes change successful. He dove into behavioral research and interviewed sales field reps to uncover the psychological levers behind adoption and resistance.

“We were asking: What makes change easier—or harder—for people to accept?” AJ says. “Even small opportunities for early involvement made a big difference in how open people were to change.”

Driving impact through collaboration

That early work laid the foundation for AJ’s role in one of ZS’s largest transformation projects: implementing dynamic targeting for a major healthcare client. The objective? Help the field force use real-time data to better engage with healthcare professionals.

But introducing new tech to a seasoned sales team isn’t always smooth. Some reps were skeptical, worried it would undermine their judgment. “The goal was to shift the mindset,” AJ says, “from seeing the tool as a threat to viewing it as a partner.”

What set this project apart was its high level of engagement. AJ and his team conducted over 40 interviews with field reps, developing a communication and rollout strategy rooted in their feedback.

“We weren’t just collecting insights—we were co-creating the solution,” he says. “That collaboration is what made adoption successful.”

By early 2025, dynamic targeting had been rolled out across all business units, with projected results showing a 2%-4% sales lift. “The tool improved with each launch, thanks to the continuous feedback loop,” AJ says.

Growth through trust and flexibility

For AJ, the most rewarding part wasn’t just the measurable outcomes—it was the trust built along the way. “We worked closely every day—pings, quick calls, mutual accountability,” he says. “That level of connection helped me learn how their organization really works.”

That trust and adaptability have also shaped AJ’s ZS journey. While he continues to work on change initiatives, he’s recently expanded into transformation and organizational design, with ZS providing opportunities that align with his evolving interests.

“ZS has been incredibly supportive,” he says. “I’ve had the flexibility to grow in the directions that excite me—and to build on the impact I’ve already made.”

AJ’s story shows what’s possible when consultants are empowered to experiment, lead and evolve. It’s not just about keeping pace with change—it’s about driving it.

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