14 Leadership Experts to Know in Greater Boston

Last updated: August 2026

Greater Boston has an unusually deep concentration of leadership expertise across universities, professional services, business groups and independent practices. This guide brings together 14 people whose current work gives event organisers and leadership teams a useful place to start.

The scope includes Boston, Cambridge, Chestnut Hill, Marblehead and the wider regional community. The people are presented alphabetically by surname, not as a ranking.

Some are established keynote speakers. Others are researchers, teachers, executives or coaches whose ideas can strengthen a keynote, workshop or panel. Check format and availability directly before planning an event around any one person.

Why leadership expertise matters for Boston events

A strong leadership session gives people something they can use after the applause ends: a clearer model for a decision, a shared way to handle a hard conversation or a practical frame for change.

Boston is distinctive because so many leadership voices are still researching, teaching and operating inside active institutions. That mix can bring useful depth to an event, especially when the subject is innovation, negotiation, systems, resilience or organisational change.

1. Andrew C. Boynton

John and Linda Powers Family Dean, Carroll School of Management, Boston College

Andrew C. Boynton works with Carroll School of Management, Boston College. His work connects strategy, innovation and leadership, including the practical idea-hunting approach he developed with Bill Fischer.

2. Jean Marie DiGiovanna

Founder, Workshop University

Jean Marie DiGiovanna works with Workshop University. She works with leaders and teams through facilitation, coaching and practical leadership development.

3. Laura Gassner Otting

Researcher, keynote speaker and author, Limitless Possibility

Laura Gassner Otting works with Limitless Possibility. Her work examines ambition, change and the fit between what people do and what matters to them.

4. Sheila Heen

Thaddeus R. Beal Professor of Practice and Deputy Director, Harvard Law School and Harvard Negotiation Project

Sheila Heen works with Harvard Law School and Harvard Negotiation Project. She is a co-author of Difficult Conversations and Thanks for the Feedback, bringing negotiation research to everyday leadership conversations.

5. Linda A. Hill

Wallace Brett Donham Professor and Faculty Chair, Leadership Initiative, Harvard Business School

Linda A. Hill works with Harvard Business School. Her research shows how leaders build the collective capability needed for innovation.

6. William A. Kahn

Professor, Management and Organizations, Boston University Questrom School of Business

William A. Kahn works with Boston University Questrom School of Business. His original research on personal engagement at work helped shape the modern field of employee engagement.

7. John P. Kotter

Konosuke Matsushita Professor of Leadership, Emeritus, Harvard Business School

John P. Kotter works with Harvard Business School. His work on leading organisational change gives leaders a clear way to think about transformation at scale.

8. Erica Mattison

Executive and career coach, Partner in Clarity

Erica Mattison works with Partner in Clarity. She helps leaders clarify what matters and make grounded choices during change and career transition.

9. Kathryn McKinnon

Founder and Chief Executive Officer, McKinnon and Company

Kathryn McKinnon works with McKinnon and Company. Her coaching and speaking work focuses on leadership, productivity and making better use of limited time.

10. James E. Rooney

President and Chief Executive Officer, Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce

James E. Rooney works with Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce. He brings together business and civic leadership through the Chamber and his earlier work leading the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority.

11. Nada R. Sanders

Distinguished Professor, Supply Chain and Information Management, Northeastern University D’Amore-McKim School of Business

Nada R. Sanders works with Northeastern University D’Amore-McKim School of Business. Her work connects supply chain resilience, technology and the future of work with the decisions leaders make.

12. Peter M. Senge

Senior Lecturer, Leadership and Sustainability, MIT Sloan School of Management

Peter M. Senge works with MIT Sloan School of Management. His systems-thinking work helps leaders see how decisions and consequences connect across an organisation.

13. Jane Steinmetz

Americas Atlantic Market Leader and Boston Office Managing Partner, EY

Jane Steinmetz works with EY. She leads across a major professional services market and was the first woman to lead a Big Four accounting firm’s Boston office.

14. John D. Sterman

Jay W. Forrester Professor and Director, MIT System Dynamics Group, MIT Sloan School of Management

John D. Sterman works with MIT Sloan School of Management. His modelling and system dynamics work helps leaders understand feedback, delay and unintended consequences.

What these leadership voices show about Greater Boston

The first pattern is range. Greater Boston leadership work covers negotiation, innovation, change, engagement, supply chains, systems thinking, civic leadership and executive coaching.

The second pattern is practical research. Many people here have turned a focused body of study or operating experience into ideas leaders can use in real decisions.

The third pattern is that the right fit matters more than the best-known name. A clear event outcome makes it easier to choose a person whose current work matches the audience and the problem.

How to use this guide

Start with the change you want after the event. A feedback challenge points towards Sheila Heen’s work, organisational change points towards John Kotter, and decisions inside complex systems point towards John Sterman.

Read each person’s current work before reaching out, then confirm topic, format and availability directly. For university-based people, the relevant school or executive education team may be the best first route.

Frequently asked questions

Are all 14 people based in Boston itself?

No. This guide uses Greater Boston, which includes nearby university and business communities such as Cambridge, Chestnut Hill and Marblehead.

Are all 14 professional keynote speakers?

No. Some are keynote speakers, while others are researchers, executives, teachers or coaches whose expertise may suit a workshop, panel or leadership programme. Confirm the format directly.

Can a school or smaller organisation book these people?

Availability and format vary. Independent speakers and coaches often accept direct enquiries, while university faculty may work through their institution, executive education or a speaking office.

How should an organiser choose?

Choose the outcome first, then look for the person whose current work addresses that issue. A practical match is usually more valuable than broad fame.

Related reading

For more leadership speaker directories, see 25 Leadership Keynote Speakers in London to Follow and 2 Leadership Keynote Speakers in Austin to Know.

For help choosing and booking a speaker, see 35 Best Speaker Bureaus for Leadership Speakers and 50 Keys to Choosing a High-Stakes Keynote Speaker.

Bring practical leadership to your Boston event

Jonno White is a separate option for organisations that want a practical leadership keynote, a Working Genius workshop or a facilitated leadership session. He helps leaders build organisations people would move cities to work at, with ideas people can use on Monday morning, not a feeling that fades by Friday. Email jonno@consultclarity.org for a written proposal.

About the author

Jonno White is a Brisbane-based leadership consultant, keynote speaker, Certified Working Genius Facilitator and author of Step Up or Step Out. He works with schools, organisations and leadership teams around the world. Email jonno@consultclarity.org for a written proposal.