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    BPI Expert Faculty

    Mary Key, Ph. D

    Expert Faculty Member

    Best Practice Institute

    Key Takeaways

    • 1.She is the founder of the Key Women’s Leadership Forums, which are dedicated to empowering executive women.
    • 2.Dr. Key develops and facilitates confidential executive peer forums for CEOs and their leadership teams.
    • 3.As President of Key Associates, Inc., she consults on organizational transformation and growth.
    • 4.She provides executive coaching to a diverse range of clients, from Fortune 500 companies to governmental entities.

    About Mary

    Mary Key, Ph. D is an expert faculty member at the Best Practice Institute and a leading authority on leadership and organizational development, dedicated to fostering growth through executive peer forums and coaching.

    Who is Mary Key, Ph. D?

    Mary Key, Ph. D, is a distinguished international consultant, author, speaker, and executive coach recognized for her deep expertise in leadership and organizational development. As an expert faculty member at the Best Practice Institute (BPI), she contributes to research and insights that align with the Most Loved Workplace® certification and the SPARK Model.

    Dr. Key is also the President of Key Associates, Inc., a firm focused on organizational transformation, and the visionary founder of the Key Women’s Leadership Forums. Through these initiatives, she provides critical support and development strategies for senior leaders, particularly those in executive and C-suite roles.

    Quick facts about Mary Key, Ph. D

    Role
    Company
    Expertise
    Notable for
    BPI affiliation

    What is Mary Key, Ph. D known for?

    • Founding the Key Women’s Leadership Forums, which aim to empower executive women by addressing pressing issues, leveraging their influence, and aligning careers with purpose.
    • Developing and facilitating executive peer forums that offer a confidential sounding board and strategic leadership development for CEOs and executive team members.
    • Authored a book titled Seizing... (title partially referenced) which informs her practical approaches to leadership growth.
    • Contributing to the American Management Association (AMA) with articles such as "On Leadership Legacies," emphasizing a broader view of leadership beyond mere success.
    • Providing executive coaching to a diverse range of clients, from Fortune 500 companies to governmental entities and fast-growing entrepreneurial enterprises.
    • As an expert in organizational development, she helps organizations navigate change and foster growth.

    What is Mary Key, Ph. D's background and experience?

    Dr. Mary Key embarked on her career in management consulting over 25 years ago, accumulating extensive experience with a wide array of organizations. Her academic foundation includes a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia and a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts.

    Her commitment to leadership excellence is further demonstrated through her memberships and affiliations:

    • ACEC
    • International Women’s Federation (IWF)
    • Society of International Business Fellows (SIBF)
    • Leadership Florida
    • Athena Society
    • CEO Council

    She previously served as the Leadership Pillar Director at the Institute for Corporate Responsibility (now the Institute for Corporate Productivity), where she focused on advancing leadership practices within corporate environments.

    What topics does Mary Key, Ph. D speak and write about?

    Mary Key, Ph. D focuses on the multifaceted aspects of leadership and organizational growth. Her discussions often center on the unique challenges faced by leaders, particularly how isolation can increase with seniority, and provides strategies to overcome these hurdles through peer support and tailored development.

    She explores themes of organizational transformation, c-suite leadership development, and workplace growth, encompassing elements of mind, body, spirit, and career progression. Dr. Key also frequently addresses women

    Background & Perspective

    Mary Key, Ph. D, is a distinguished international consultant, author, speaker, and executive coach recognized for her deep expertise in leadership and organizational development. As an expert faculty member at the Best Practice Institute (BPI), she contributes to research and insights that align with the Most Loved Workplace® certification and the SPARK Model.

    Dr. Key is also the President of Key Associates, Inc., a firm focused on organizational transformation, and the visionary founder of the Key Women’s Leadership Forums. Through these initiatives, she provides critical support and development strategies for senior leaders, particularly those in executive and C-suite roles.

    Background

    Dr. Mary Key embarked on her career in management consulting over 25 years ago, accumulating extensive experience with a wide array of organizations. Her academic foundation includes a Ph.D. from the University of Virginia and a B.S. from the University of Massachusetts. She previously served as the Leadership Pillar Director at the Institute for Corporate Responsibility (now the Institute for Corporate Productivity), where she focused on advancing leadership practices within corporate environments.

    Areas of Expertise

    Dr. Key is an expert in leadership and organizational development, helping organizations navigate change and foster growth. Her work encompasses executive coaching, strategic planning, employee engagement, and fostering women's leadership. Her specialties include:

    • Leadership Development
    • Organizational Development
    • Executive Coaching
    • Women's Leadership
    • Strategic Planning
    • Employee Engagement
    • Assessments & Evaluations
    • Self Development

    Topics Covered

    Dr. Key focuses on the multifaceted aspects of leadership and organizational growth. Her discussions often center on the unique challenges faced by leaders, particularly how isolation can increase with seniority, and she provides strategies to overcome these hurdles through peer support and tailored development. She explores themes of organizational transformation, C-suite leadership development, and workplace growth, encompassing elements of mind, body, spirit, and career progression.

    Areas of Expertise

    Leadership DevelopmentOrganizational DevelopmentExecutive CoachingWomen's LeadershipStrategic PlanningEmployee EngagementAssessments & EvaluationsSelf Development

    Research Topics

    LeadershipOrganizational DevelopmentCoachingEmployee Engagement

    Profile last updated

    Frequently asked questions

    Best Practice Institute

    Best Practice Institute is the research organization behind Most Loved Workplace® certification, the SPARK Model, the Love of Workplace Index™ (LOWI™), and The Workplace Report.

    The Workplace Report

    The Workplace Report is BPI's original workplace culture research and editorial briefing series for CEOs, CHROs, people leaders, talent leaders, and employer-brand teams. It turns BPI's 25 years of research, Most Loved Workplace® certification data, SPARK findings, and current workforce signals into practical analysis leaders can use.

    The report format includes executive summaries, research-backed articles, company examples, methodology notes, and practical implications for retention, hiring, culture, leadership, and employee experience. New research and analysis is published on an ongoing editorial cadence at /workplace-report.