Mary Kay Vona

Lecturer

Ph.D., Organizational Development and Executive Leadership, The George Washington University, 1997
 

Research Expertise
Research focused on Organizational Transformation, Learning & Development, DE&I and Talent Management (primarily technology enabled transformation). 

Mary Kay Vona brings over 37 years of industry and consulting expertise. She has a unique combination of practice leadership, strategy, innovation, change management, business transformation, executive coaching, and talent strategy experience. She is dedicated to helping clients adopt and sustain their business transformation and change management initiatives. In addition to serving her consulting clients, Vona is an adjunct Professor at Vanderbilt University, The George Washington University and University of California-Davis where she teaches Organizational Development, Organizational Learning, Consultation Skills, Human Performance Interventions and coaches MBA students on their Capstone Client Projects. She is committed to her clients and students as she coaches future leaders. Vona is also a Prosci ™ Certified Change Practitioner, having also completed the Train the Trainer program.

Vona is also a sought-after motivational speaker, directing her positive energy to support the needs of her clients. She customizes the message to align to the culture and vision of her client. 

During her time at EY, she led the Financial Service region for People Advisory Services (PAS) change management and talent practice. She also was a founding member of EY’s Learning Services and Adoption practice. Prior to joining EY, Vona held similar Partnership roles at PW/PWCC/IBM for over 22 years and served many industries including Media & Entertainment, Automotive, Retail, Oil & Gas, Power & Utilities, Communications and Telco. She was IBM’s Human Capital Practice Leader and Global Learning Partner, driving learning and adoption solutions and thought leadership around the globe. Outside of work, Vona served as Board Chairwoman of Davis Akilah College, a unique educational program for young women in East Africa and the Florida Holocaust Museum Advisory Board. She currently serves on the advisory board of the World Institute of Action Learning (WIAL), Women’s Business Collaborative (WBC) and National Council of Education and Human Development at The George Washington University, where she has endowed a Doctoral Chair Scholarship.

Vona also spends energy on weekends teaching Zumba and Hip Hop Dance Fitness and is an avid baseball fan. In addition to serving her consulting clients, she is an adjunct Professor at Vanderbilt University, The George Washington University where she teaches Organizational Development, Organizational Learning, Consultation Skills, Human Performance Interventions and Lecturer at University of California-Davis where she coaches MBA students on their Capstone Client Projects. She is committed to her clients and students as she advises future leaders.

Vona is also a Prosci ™ Certified Change Practitioner, having also completed the Train the Trainer program. She is also a sought-after motivational speaker, directing her positive energy to support the needs of her clients. She customizes the message to align to the culture and vision of her client and needs of her students. 

Research and publications

  • Change Leaders podcast 
  • “Leading with Empathy”: Motivational Speaker/Presenter and Group Facilitation to USFoods, October, 2021
  • “Workforce Development in an Era of Change – ‘What if a robot takes my job?’” EdFix Podcast. The George Washington
  • University. December 2019.
  • “Leading With Heart: A Message of Kindness.” Keynote Speaker. Tampa Women’s Leadership Summit. October, 2019.
  • “The War for Cyber Talent Will Be Won by Retention not Recruitment.” Opinion Article. Dark Reading, Inc. July 2019.
  • “Learning’s Value in the Era of Disruption.” Article. Training Magazine. February 2019.
  • “You claim there is a talent gap: Why and how insurers should act today to drive future success in changing landscape.” White
  • Paper. Ernst & Young (EY). December 2014.
  • “Seven Tall Tales of Talent Management.” White Paper. Aon Hewitt. October 2010. Abbreviated version featured in the October,
  • 2, 2010 edition of HR Executive.
  • “The Talent Funnel: Rebuilding, Re-engagement and Recovery.” Presentations. Aon Client Symposium. September 2009
  • “Closing the Generational Divide-workforce demographics.” White paper. IBM/ASTD. Fall 2006

Awards

  • Tampa Bay Businesswoman of the Year
  • National Diversity Council Leadership Award
  • IBM, Golden Circle Award for Client Service
  • The George Washington University Endowed Scholarship
  • Mercyhurst University Alumni Award