Cohlene Heskey has established a successful career in organizational development and talent management, bringing a unique blend of strategic vision and practical execution to each leadership role she has held. As senior director at the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority (FINRA), she oversees a team responsible for designing and delivering customized development solutions that support leadership growth, cultural transformation and team effectiveness. Her approach emphasizes both innovation and psychological safety, and her work has led to a notable expansion in the range of organizational solutions offered across the enterprise.
Ms. Heskey’s academic foundation reflects her commitment to continuous learning and professional excellence. She earned a Master of Business Administration with a concentration in banking, corporate finance and securities law from Walden University, building on a Bachelor of Arts in business administration and management from Monroe University. In addition to her formal degrees, she pursued a Doctorate in Business Administration in human resource management and leadership development at Walden University. She also holds several professional credentials, including certification as a psychological safety practitioner through Aristotle Performance, which has directly informed her efforts to foster healthier and more resilient work environments.
Throughout her career at FINRA, Ms. Heskey has advanced through a series of key leadership roles. As director of learning, talent and organizational development, she was instrumental in building a cohesive, integrated talent management strategy that aligned leadership development, performance management and learning initiatives. Before that appointment, she was the manager of talent management, learning and culture. During that time, she launched a successful psychological safety campaign, leading to the certification of several internal practitioners. This initiative helped increase engagement, improve internal survey results and expand employee participation in development offerings.
Ms. Heskey’s experience prior to joining FINRA includes senior leadership roles at major institutions. At Inova Health System, she was senior manager of leadership and organization development, developing a leadership framework for a workforce of more than 17,000 employees. Her contributions included creating and launching programs such as Pathway to Leadership and Delivering the Difference, which helped embed core competencies and strengthen alignment with organizational values.
Earlier in her career, Ms. Heskey held progressive roles in training, development and learning strategy at companies including Engility Corporation, UDig, Deltek and International Capital and Management Company. These experiences allowed her to develop a broad and practical understanding of learning systems, program delivery and talent strategy across a range of sectors. She also worked in administrative and supervisory positions that gave her a strong foundation in operations and people management.
In addition to her professional work, Ms. Heskey is engaged with several civic organizations, including Columbia Community Center and Montgomery County Public Schools, where she supports education and community development efforts. Her leadership philosophy is shaped by the many leaders she has worked with over the years, learning equally from those who excelled and those who presented growth opportunities. She credits these experiences with teaching her the importance of clarity, compassion and accountability in leadership.
Ms. Heskey plans to expand her public speaking work and is in the process of writing her first book, tentatively titled “60 Shades of Success.” She also intends to launch a consulting firm focused on organizational development, leadership coaching and talent strategy.