Kelly Bean is a recognized expert in learning, leader development, and strategic advising. Kelly counts leading ventures within corporations and higher education institutions, as the incubator for her one constant drive – her passion to develop others, their teams, and their organizations to grow forward.

Kelly founded Heron Strategy Partners (HSP) to accelerate a future-focused approach to individual and organizational development. HSP serves as a collaborative of educators, thought leaders, coaches, and practitioners dedicated to growing talent. HSP has deployed integrated learning strategies for entrepreneurial organizations, universities, professional service firms, fortune 500 corporations, and non-profit organizations since 2001. HSP is active in the future of work and education conversation, in forming leader pathways using continuous learning, and in creating intentional developmental experiences at the intersection of business, leadership, and ESG.

Kelly teaches and consults regularly in the areas of personal leadership development, team effectiveness, organizational development, strategy formulation and execution, and talent management. She is certified in several assessment tools including the Korn Ferry 360, the Hogan, and The Birkman Method, and is pursuing her ACC credential from the International Coach Federation. She has worked with organizations such as Home Depot, AECOM, Panasonic, UPS, Princess Cruises, Sony, Farmers Insurance, Blue Shield Foundation, Coca-Cola, US State Department MEPI, US Navy, NAMIC, Intercontinental Hotels Group, ABInBev, Centene, the Nazer group of Companies (Bupa Arabia, Diaverum, Nawah, and Nazer Clinics) and other global firms to design and deliver leadership development programs. She has also engaged with Pepperdine University, Yale, University College of Dublin, University of South Carolina, UCLA, Darden, WashU, Rutgers and Emory to provide market entry strategies, executive education and degree teaching, and team alignment. Currently, she is advising three early stage startups in the career and ed tech industries.

Kelly has held Dean and CEO positions at four of the top global business schools, leading non-degree executive education at UVA Darden, UCLA Anderson, WashU Olin and WashUatBrookings and Emory. She is the past chair of the board of UNICON, a global consortium of executive education organizations, and previously served on the board of ASCENT, an organization focused on leadership development of multicultural women. Kelly received her B.S. and M.S. from Moore School of Business at the University of South Carolina. She recently completed the Women’s Corporate Board Readiness Program at Santa Clara University.

Kelly continues to be inspired by her global and national travels and considers home to be the low country of South Carolina, the Southern California coast, and the Blue Ridge Mountains of central Virginia.