Marian L. Heard

MARIAN L. HEARD has been president and chief executive officer of Oxen Hill Partners, specialists in leadership development programs and brand enhancements strategies, since August 2004. Prior to this role, Heard served over three decades in various United Way leadership positions, including president and CEO of the United Way of Massachusetts Bay and CEO of the United Ways of New England. She led the United Way to the #1 position in America for Major Gifts (up from #87) out of 1,422 different United Way organizations. At her retirement dinner (2004), a record-setting $3.4 million was raised and used to start the Marian L Heard Scholars’ Program. To date, the program has helped 276 students go to college and new recipients are added each spring. Heard served as the founding president and CEO of the Points of Light Foundation. Heard has had the rare privilege of working with six US presidents: Ford, Carter, Bush, Clinton, Bush and Obama. She led the Strategic Planning Session at Camp David and meetings at 10 Downing Street regarding the expansion of volunteerism in the UK. Points of Light is now the largest volunteer advocacy group in the world. She is an independent director and has served on the boards of giants in their respective industries, including CVS Health, Liberty Mutual Group, Blue Cross/Blue Shield of MA and Santander Bank of Madrid, to cite a few. She is currently serving on her 11 Corporate Board, the privately held Friends Beverage Group/Fun Wine. Heard is also a founder of the National Mentoring Partnership, and was elected to the Corporate Governance Hall of Fame by the National Association of Corporate Directors. She holds the title of Distinguished Trustee of Dana Farber Cancer Institute, and she is the author of two books, The Complete Leader and Take Time. She is also a member of the International Women’s Forum/Massachusetts Chapter and the Boston College CEO Club, to name a few. The recipient of over 146 local, national, and international awards and citations, including 21 Honorary Doctorate Degrees noting her leadership focused on helping children and families. She is active at the Greater Framingham Community Church and is a life member of the NAACP. Heard earned an MA in education from Springfield College and completed the Executive Leadership Program at the University of Michigan at Ann Arbor focusing on Economics and Social Policy which enhanced her e3orts to provide services to thousands of children and their families.