Connor Burns

Connor Burns is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and strategist at Accenture, where he leads digital transformation initiatives for the Department of Defense. After graduating from Andrew High School in 2015, Connor enlisted in the Marine Corps and served with distinction in the elite HMX-1 Presidential Helicopter Squadron, responsible for the transportation security of the President of the United States. In this highly specialized role, Connor ensured the security and coordination of presidential movements during domestic and international travel—a testament to his integrity, dedication, and extraordinary discipline.

Following his honorable discharge, Connor pursued a degree at the University of Virginia’s McIntire School of Commerce. His selection as a Posse Scholar, an honor awarded to only 10 out of 700 applicants, highlights his exceptional leadership potential and academic prowess.

At McIntire, Connor combined his passion for endurance sports with his dedication to charitable causes by running 4 miles every 4 hours for 48 hours, rallying the local Charlottesville community to raise more than $1,800 for the Make-A-Wish Foundation.

A key strategist at Accenture, a Fortune 500 company, Connor has played a pivotal role in delivering technological advancements for the Department of Defense. Working on a software implementation project for the Pentagon, he was part of a team that reduced missed deadlines for national security-essential projects by 30%. He also serves as a key analyst for implementing Identity, Credential, and Access Management (ICAM) for the U.S. Army, delivering capabilities to over 1,400 Army applications and supporting 3.5 million users across the Department of Defense. This initiative plays a crucial role in the Army's Zero Trust strategy, ensuring secure, efficient, and streamlined access to mission-critical systems.

In addition to his professional work, Connor dedicates his time as a Posse Ambassador for the Posse Foundation, a national nonprofit that identifies, trains, and supports diverse groups of talented students—Posse Scholars—who demonstrate extraordinary leadership potential. As an ambassador, Connor helps recruit and mentor scholars, supporting the foundation’s mission to develop the next generation of leaders and ensure they succeed in higher education and beyond.

Connor's journey from a high school student to a Marine, to a scholar at one of the top business schools, and now a strategic leader, exemplifies both service and leadership.