Bio
Thomas Heffner is an executive coach (ICF-ACC, Hudson) and leadership development consultant with 15+ years of experience helping global tech organizations build high-performing, inclusive, and resilient leaders.
He specializes in coaching Go-To-Market (GTM) and sales leaders—particularly at Google—where he has developed and delivered cohort-based learning programs, 1:1 coaching, and leadership initiatives grounded in behavioral science and human-centered design.
His work spans tech, public sector, and SaaS environments, with expertise in:
• Executive & leadership coaching (PCC requirements complete)
• Coaching in high-change, high-pressure GTM environments
• Leadership program design using Design Thinking
• Building resilience, mindset agility, and clarity under uncertainty
He believes great leaders create clarity in ambiguity. His role is to help them build that clarity—through strategic coaching, practical frameworks, and deep partnership.
Thomas Heffner has been a leader in Design Thinking and worked at the intersection of design, technology, and business. He uses Design Thinking to create transformative solutions for the complex and challenging problems facing our nation’s security (e.g. TANG Design Thinking). In addition, he teaches human centered design methods in academia (University of Maryland Academy of Innovation & Entrepreneurship & Johns Hopkins University), government (US Navy & Howard County Public Schools), and non-profit settings (Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory).
His work has been featured in the Harvard Business Review and the UK’s New Scientist. He is a contributing author to several books, including “Infusing Innovation into Organizations: A Systems Engineering Approach” and “Character Strengths Matter: How to Live a Full Life.” He also writes online articles for Positive Psychology News Daily, helping people use the principles of design to live a better life.
He often takes up the role of public speaker, giving presentations on Design and Well-Being at conferences around the world. He organizes workshops for engineers, HR professionals, military servicemen, and US government civilian employees. He is a curious explorer of the world around him and draws much inspiration from meeting new people - so feel free to drop him a line @tom_heffner
