Leslie O’Connell

Leslie J. O’Connell is a versatile communications expert, leadership coach, and catalyst known for co-creating positive change. Leaders look to Leslie as a partner to devise strategies to advance cultural transformation, multiply the impact of executives as servant leaders, and coach rising professionals to discover and lean into their superpowers.

Leslie’s professional sweet spot is strengthening employee communications and engagement amid change. As a big picture business leader, she has also spearheaded corporate and financial communications strategies to elevate corporate reputation.

Leslie has been a trusted counselor to C-suite leaders and specializes in partnering with Human Resources, Diversity and Inclusion, Corporate Strategy, Finance, Risk, and Investments. She has a deep passion for developing people and building collaborative teams who work with purpose, deliver results, and have fun.

Most recently, she was Vice President of Strategic Communications at Northwestern Mutual, a Fortune 120 financial services company. Earlier in her career, she led business and technology client relationships at Edelman, a global integrated communications agency; led communications teams at Quad/Graphics, Inc.; and worked in the consumer arena at Pleasant Company/American Girls.

She earned a bachelor’s in Politics at Catholic University of America in Washington, D.C., and completed master’s course work at Marquette University in Milwaukee, WI. Leslie and her family have “wanderlust” – cured only by frequent travel in the U.S. and abroad. She holds dual citizenship in Luxembourg, the small but mighty Grand Duchy at the crossroads of Europe.