I work with CEOs, founders, and senior leaders on the real challenges of leadership: influence, conflict, and the energy required to perform at a sustained high level. My coaching is action-oriented and grounded in executive experience and psychology, focused on removing obstacles and blind spots that can hold you back. I work one-on-one with leaders and partner with organizations to support leadership teams, helping clients navigate high-stakes conversations, reduce unproductive stress, and lead with greater confidence.

"Working with Devon has shaped not only my personal long-term goals but also my day-to-day interactions with employees as a leader of my organization. She helped me change my thought process around effective and meaningful communication at work. Her support and guidance influenced my value and worth in my organization and assisted in negotiating a better compensation package. I would not hesitate to recommend Devon to anyone looking to strengthen their leadership skills and achieve their personal goals." - CFO, Investment Management, New York
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“Devon was an incredible resource. I benefited hugely from her empathetic guidance, astute observations and practical calls to action” - Partner, Venture Capital, San Francisco
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“My experience working with Devon has been nothing short of transformative. Devon has consistently guided me in navigating both tactical and strategic professional situations, always steering me towards successful outcomes. Her coaching style is personalized and effective, and I have developed skills that have become an integral part of my professional toolkit and extending into my personal life. I am grateful for her guidance and can confidently say that her influence has been a game-changer for me.” - Melissa, Portfolio Manager, Investment Management
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*“When I hit a challenging period of growth within my company and career, I knew I needed help with my mindset and a sounding board outside of my firm. Devon's experience as an executive and coach was the perfect fit. Within our first call, she identified a pattern that left me feeling more confident in my instincts and helped me frame my goals for development. Her empathy and vote of confidence got me through a tough time and I'm on a great path toward my goals.” *- Megan, COO and Co-Founder, Tech Industry
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*“I found Devon at a point in my career when I questioned everything about my current role and my reaction to the constant change in the organization. From our very first meeting, I knew she would help me get to the other side of it. She exudes empathy and understanding and knows exactly which tools to use in her toolbox. I’m forever grateful to Devon for helping me understand myself because it’s never about the situation but rather your reaction to those situations you find yourself in.” *- SD, Senior Vice President, Film Industry
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“Devon boosted my confidence and was an invaluable confidant and guide as I navigated a stressful period that required making difficult personnel changes to meet high-pressure expectations from my board. She also helped me think about my own career ambitions by helping me clarify what matters most, and chart a course that felt right for me. With simple exercises, thoughtful questions, and a genuine interest in me as a person and a professional, Devon made the process easy, rewarding, and impactful.” - Ben, SVP, Healthcare
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"I started working with Devon just as I started a new high profile role with a number of organizational complexities to navigate through. She was a great balance of empathy and challenge allowing me to feel understood and stay focused. I would recommend Devon to any leader going through challenges as a strong sounding board." - Linda, SVP, Financial Services
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"We’ve been a great team and she’s really helped me to raise the bar and shine with confidence. Invaluable." - Manuel, CEO, Tech Industry
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“Devon struck a tremendous balance between hard skills and influential soft skills. In our very first meetings, Devon's expertise gave confidence to our firm at a time of transformation. It was also remarkable how she established herself as a trusted adviser and intermediary between several different constituencies. I was lucky to work with Devon in a variety of contexts and I couldn't recommend her coaching more.” - James, Investment Management Industry
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“Devon was uniquely able to help me during a period of extreme stress, and work through some difficult problems — and she did so with so much optimism, so much professionalism and a lot of empathy. Those were all things that I really needed. So her ability to do that in a really short period of time is impressive, and I’m really grateful for it.” - Ayame, Chief Administrative Officer, Healthcare Industry
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"I’ve always known I should get coaching but kept waiting for the time to be right. Then I realized I just needed to make the time. I achieved what I set out to coaching with Devon. She guided me through the issues I was facing and gave me the tools I needed to achieve the next steps. It was the kick in the butt I needed to do the things that are really important to me." - Partner, Private Equity
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“Devon's gift is opening constructive communication on tough subjects. Her financial background and caring attitude made her impactful from day one. By the end of coaching, Devon had helped us understand ourselves better, articulate our goals, and plan for a better tomorrow. I highly recommend Devon for any couple or individual wondering, ‘What's next?’” - Sebastian, Founder, Tech Industry
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“Devon's coaching could not have come at a better time for me and my husband. We have always been financially responsible, but without any real intention or planning. We recently decided he would pursue his dream to start his own business. Needless to say, there have been some challenging conversations about our finances as he works to get a new business started. Through Devon's coaching, we have been able to focus the conversation on our dreams for the future, rather than on present insecurities about his leaving a stable-salary job. What could have been a very stressful time for our relationship, has instead been a really fun opportunity to communicate together about our shared dreams. Devon's program provided us with new tools to help us create a roadmap to get to our dreams.'“ - Kelley, Construction Industry
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“Devon is one of the most passionate, determined coaches I've ever worked with. She helped me explore my options in ways I've never considered. Her advice on office politics and difficult conversations is also spot-on. A+, highly recommended!” - Dave, Ph.D., Medical Research, UCSF
Devon is an executive coach and licensed psychotherapist who partners with CEOs and senior leaders to build the presence, influence, and energy required to deliver results. She is a researcher at the University of Oxford, as well as a writer and speaker focused on leadership in an AI-driven world and practical approaches to stress and burnout.Before becoming an executive coach, Devon spent twenty years as a Fortune 50 executive, leading teams through large-scale technology transformations and creating products that earned users’ trust for high-stakes decisions like investing. She was Managing Director and Chief Marketing Officer of the Americas at BlackRock and as Head of Digital at Wells Fargo Advisors. Devon holds an MBA from Columbia Business School, an MA in Counseling, and is a certified Executive Coach through Columbia University. She is currently completing doctoral research at the University of Oxford on therapeutic, coaching, and AI-based interventions for stress and burnout.A lifelong adventurer and certified Wilderness First Responder, Devon has trekked thousands of miles inn-to-inn, hut-to-hut, and on backpacking expeditions. She also served as a trained volunteer counselor for San Francisco’s crisis line, supporting community members during their most vulnerable moments, and is a longtime yoga and meditation teacher (RYT-500) specializing in stress and burnout management.Devon is based in San Francisco and works with coaching clients globally and therapy clients based in California.--------Speaking:
- Columbia University Coaching Conference, October 2025: Who Has Your Back at Work? Coaching for Resilience Using Attachment Science in the Age of AI.
- 97% Effective Podcast: Who has your back? How to manage your boss, stress and conflict at work. January 2026
- My Robot Boss Podcast, Host. Available on Apple and Spotify. 2025
- Columbia Business School Alumni Network - Four separate talks, 2020-2021
- Financial Women’s Association Workshop 2022
- CHIEF - Workshop on managing stress for the startup squad, Sept 2022.
- Money 2020 Keynote Speaker, 2016Articles
- A Hidden Cause of Burnout: How Attachment Science Reframes Workplace Distress, The Therapist Magazine April 2026Research
- The relationship between attachment and mental health at work: A narrative review
Reference: McConnell, D., Wong, G., & Ferrey, A. (2025). The relationship between attachment and mental health at work: A narrative review. WORK: A Journal of Prevention, Assessment & Rehabilitation, 81(3), 2833-2843. https://doi.org/10.1177/10519815251327313 (Original work published 2025)
- Who Has Your Back at Work? Coaching for Resilience Using Attachment Science in the Age of AI.
Accepted and presented at the Columbia University Coaching Conference 2025. Finalist for the Judith B. Glaser Outstanding Paper Award.
- A realist review of the potential, limitations and impact of AI automating and augmenting leadership in organizations (currently under peer-review)
- A realist evaluation of Emotionall Focused Individual Therapy (EFIT) for work-related distress (currently under peer-review)

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I'll return all messages in 48 hours unless I am out of office and then will respond as soon as I'm back.