Marian Heard

Marian L. Heard is the president and chief executive officer of Oxen Hill Partners, a Boston-based company specializing in leadership development programs and brand enhancement strategies. She retired as the president and CEO of the Boston United Way (the #1 Major Gifts United Way in the country) and as the chief executive officer of the United Ways of New England. Heard is the founding president and chief executive officer of the Points of Light Foundation, which was formed to perpetuate President George Bush’s call for voluntary service to address the serious social problems in America. In addition, she is a founding board member of MENTOR/National Mentoring Partnership, which was organized to support advocacy efforts and expand mentoring across America.

Heard is member of the boards of Liberty Mutual Group, CVS Caremark and Sovereign Bank/Santander Holdings. She is also a trustee of the Dana Farber Cancer Institute and a former member of the board of Blue Cross/Blue Shield of Massachusetts and the New England Aquarium. She is the recipient of 20 honorary doctorate degrees and received many local, national and international awards for her business and leadership contributions as well as her creative initiatives for children, including the Buckley Orator award, the Warren Bennis award for Outstanding Leadership, the National Public Citizen of the Year and the Others Award, the highest civilian award presented by the Salvation Army.