Susan MacKenty Brady

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Susan MacKenty Brady is an American author, speaker, and leadership expert known for her work in human—centered inclusive leadership and women’s advancement in the workplace. She serves as the founding CEO of the Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership and holds the Deloitte Ellen Gabriel Chair for Women and Leadership. With over 25 years of experience in leadership development, Brady has partnered with hundreds of global organizations to promote cultures of respect, equity, and confident humility. She is a bestselling author, frequent media contributor, and mother of two daughters.

Early Life

Susan MacKenty Brady was born on September 25, 1972, in Stamford, Connecticut and grew up from the age of two in Edgartown on the island of Martha’s Vineyard. She graduated from Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School, Marietta College with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Business Communications, and earned a Master of Education in Educational Leadership from Ohio University.

Career

Susan MacKenty Brady is a globally recognized leadership expert and the founding CEO of the Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership, where she also holds the Deloitte Ellen Gabriel Chair for Women and Leadership. In this role, she leads initiatives that help organizations build high-performing, inclusive cultures rooted in respect and human connection. Before joining Simmons University, Brady served as Executive Vice President at Linkage, Inc., a global leadership development firm. There, she founded the Women in Leadership Institute™ and launched Linkage’s global consulting practice on Advancing Women Leaders and Inclusive Leadership. She also led the field research behind the widely cited framework, The 7 Leadership Hurdles Women Leaders Face in the Workforce™. Over the course of her 25+ year career, Brady has consulted with more than 500 organizations worldwide. Her work focuses on cultivating confident humility in leadership and creating cultures of accountability and inclusion.

She is an Emeritus board member of Strong Women, Strong Girls.  

Publications

Susan MacKenty Brady is the author and co-author of several influential works on leadership, inclusion, and self-awareness:

• All the Difference: Six Leadership Actions to Bridge Perspectives, Strengthen Teams, and Create Value (forthcoming, Harvard Business Review, expected May 2026) – Co-authored with Stuart Kliman and Leslie C. Smith, this upcoming book explores critical leadership actions that promote collaboration, connection, and performance across diverse organizations.
• Arrive & Thrive: 7 Impactful Practices for Women Navigating Leadership (McGraw-Hill, 2022) – Co-authored with Janet Foutty and Lynn Perry Wooten. A Wall Street Journal and USA Today bestseller offering practical strategies for senior-level leadership.
• Mastering Your Inner Critic and 7 Other High Hurdles to Advancement (McGraw-Hill, 2018) – Focuses on overcoming internal and external challenges to women's leadership.
• The 30-Second Guide to Coaching Your Inner Critic (Linkage, 2014) – A concise guide to reframing negative self-talk.
• The Inclusive Leader’s Playbook – A guide published by the Simmons Institute with practical tools for inclusion.
• Thriving at Work Index – A research-based workplace inclusion tool to assess and improve organizational culture.

Media Appearances

Susan MacKenty Brady has been featured across numerous national and regional media outlets, where she shares insights on inclusive leadership, gender equity, and organizational transformation.

• On March 12, 2025, The Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership released its study, “Thriving at Work 2024” | website = Simmons University Institute for Inclusive Leadership | url = https://www.inclusiveleadership.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/1.29.24_ThrivingatWork.pdf Susan’s insights on the research was featured in a syndicated BizJournals article “Poor communications, lack of transparency among key hurdles for women at work” .

• On March 23, 2025, she was quoted in a Mashable article “The end of remote work doesn’t work for women” . .

• On November 19, 2024, she appeared on WBZ News Mornings to discuss systemic barriers to women’s advancement.

• She has also been featured on Good Morning America, discussing inclusive leadership strategies.

• Her work has been recognized in Bloomberg Businessweek, Forbes, and Inc. Magazine.

• In Forbes, she co-authored the article Coaching Your Inner Critic with Dorie Clark.

• She was quoted in a 2023 ForbesWomen article addressing the "lazy girl job" trend.

• Brady is also a contributing author on Inc. Magazine's leadership platform.

• Her book Arrive & Thrive debuted as a bestseller in The Wall Street Journal, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly, further amplifying her national visibility as a leadership expert.

Awards and Recognition

• Honorary Doctor of Laws, Marietta College (2024).
• Distinguished Alumna Award, Marietta College (2022).
• Inducted into the Marshall Goldsmith 100 Coaches (2020), a group of top global executive coaches and thought leaders.

External links

• Simmons Institute – Official Profile
• Susan MacKenty Brady at Inc. Magazine
• Forbes article: Coaching Your Inner Critic
• Interview Archive – WBZ News Mornings

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