Molly Dickinson Shepard

Molly D. Shepard MS, MSM is Partner at Leaders By Design, an executive coaching and advisory firm helping senior executive address the challenges they face in today's complicated workplace. She brings over 30 years of coaching C-Suite executives to this important work. She was President, Chief Executive Officer and Founder of The Leader’s Edge, LLC, a company dedicated to the advancement of executive and high-potential women and men. Through her leadership there and as Chairman, President and Co-founder of Manchester Inc., one of the world’s largest career development consulting firms, she helped develop the highest standards of excellence in program design and delivery. Manchester became one of the nation’s top human resources consulting firms helping thousands of people a year transition into new jobs and reach their potential as leaders under her guidance. She has extensive experience in career counseling, leadership development, executive coaching and executive search.

Prior to co-founding Manchester Inc. in 1983, Molly was Regional Vice President for Hay Career Consultants, a division of The Hay Group. Prior to joining Hay, Molly was Vice President of Diversified Search, Inc., a Philadelphia-based executive search firm. Early in her career, Molly was Director of Admissions and a member of the executive committee of the Institute for Paralegal Training in Philadelphia.

Molly has served as a member of the Boards of Directors of The American Heart Association of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Keystone Financial Inc., Keystone Bank N.A., Rosemont College, Liberty Savings Bank, a subsidiary of Equimark Corporation, the Kimmel Center, the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education Board of Overseers and the World Affairs Council of Philadelphia. She is currently active as: Chairman Emeritus of The United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania, Chairman Emeritus of WHYY Inc., President Emeritus of the Pennsylvania Women’s Forum, and member of the Board of Directors of The Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce and the National Multiple Sclerosis Society - Greater Delaware Valley Chapter.

Molly is frequently recognized for her outstanding commitment to the community. In 2024 She received the Power Advocate Award from POWER for Professional Women and the Take the Lead Award from the Girl Scouts of Eastern Pennsylvania. Molly was awarded the Alice Paul Equality Award, given to strategic, visionary leaders who are dedicated to breaking accepted tradition and barriers and the 2012 Brava! Achievement Award given annually to top regional female CEOs for their entrepreneurial endeavors and commitment to community by SmartCEO magazine. In 2008, Molly was honored as the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s Woman Caring About What Matters Award for her dedication to their women’s initiatives. In 2006, she received the Trailblazer Award from Philadelphia Magazine and the Citizen Volunteer of the Year Award from United Way. In 2005, Molly was the recipient of the Philadelphia Business Journal’s Women of Distinction Award and in 2004 received the Beta Gamma Sigma Award from the LeBow College of Business at Drexel University. In 2003, Molly was honored by the March of Dimes as a Montgomery County Woman of Achievement. In 2001, she received the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce Paradigm Award as the outstanding woman business leader of the year and won the Pennsylvania Best 50 Women in Business Award. In 1998, Molly was awarded the American Heart Association’s Heart of Philadelphia Award for her leadership and dedication to the community.

Molly and her husband, Peter J. Dean, Ph.D. have just published their first novel, Payback. It is a thriller that addresses the horrific bullying that still exists in corporate America. They also published The Bully Proof Workplace: Essential Strategies, Tips and Scripts for Dealing with the Office Sociopath (McGraw Hill 2017) and Little Leaders and their stories (Xlibris). Molly’s third book is Preparing for Your Prime Time (Xlibris), a retirement guide for women boomers that helps them strategize and prepare for a successful, fulfilling retirement. Her second book, Breaking Into the Boys’ Club (M. Evans & Company, Inc., 2009, 2014 an 2022), deftly exposes the roadblocks that keep women from reaching the top of the corporate ladder and offers eight powerful strategies to overcome these hurdles and be more successful. Her first book, Stop Whining and Start Winning (Penguin), was published in 2005.

Molly holds a B.A. from Wheaton College, a Masters degree in Psychological Services and Counseling from the University of Pennsylvania, a MSM in Leadership from The American College, and in May 2006 received an Honorary Doctorate of Humanities from West Chester University. Also, in 2009 she received certification as an Internationally Certified Career Management Fellow (CMF) with ICC International.

Molly, with her husband, Peter Dean, are Partners in business. They are parents of four children and seven grandchildren.