Megan Leasher, an Icon of Change from Ohio

Icons of Change International Awards 2026

Megan Leasher, Ph.D.
Director, Strategic Talent Leader, Cincinnati Children's
Senior Faculty & Measurement Strategist, Talent Magnet Institute®
Former Chief Solutions Strategist, Talent Plus, Inc.
Former Director of Talent, Growth and Development, Bon Secours Mercy Health

SDG Focus: Goal 3 – Good Health and Well-Being
Changemaker for Talent Strategy, Leadership Development, Organizational Effectiveness, and Workforce Innovation in Pediatric Healthcare (USA)

Megan Leasher, Ph.D., is an award-winning industrial-organizational psychologist and strategic talent leader whose career has transformed how organizations in healthcare, retail, and consulting discover, develop, and deploy human potential to drive better outcomes, especially for children and families in need of exceptional care.

Since August 2023, as Director, Strategic Talent Leader at Cincinnati Children's, a world-renowned nonprofit academic medical center and top pediatric research institution, Megan leads HR strategy aligned with organizational priorities for growth, innovation, and transformation. She established the talent foundation for a new global health consultancy in the UAE, building it from the ground up. As Chair of the HR AI Steering Committee, she champions upskilling and early adoption of AI to enhance workforce capabilities. Her work also includes centralization initiatives, acquisition integration, organizational design, talent assimilation, and effectiveness strategies that ensure Cincinnati Children's continues delivering world-class pediatric care while fostering a respectful, inclusive environment for all employees, patients, and families.

Megan's impact extends through her long-standing role as Senior Faculty & Measurement Strategist at Talent Magnet Institute® (since 2019), where she partners with leaders to unlock potential, verify ROI through robust measurement strategies, and serve as an executive coach, earning recognition as part of the "Best in Cincy 2024" Executive Coach Firm.

Previously, as Chief Solutions Strategist at Talent Plus, Inc. (2020–2022), she pioneered talent-focused thought leadership, engineered product innovations, drove executive decision-making, and coached senior leaders across industries to build high-performing, engaged cultures using The Science of Human PotentialitySM.

At Bon Secours Mercy Health (2019–2020), Megan created career pathways for 60,000 associates through job profiles and skills taxonomies, advanced leader development, DEI, employee experience, and future-of-work strategies to close skill gaps. At Macy's (2009–2019), she rose to Director roles where she optimized talent for a 130,000-person workforce, launched award-winning assessment centers, and provided data-driven insights to senior leaders.

Earlier, at Chally Group Worldwide, she designed custom assessments, demonstrated ROI through impact studies, and led product innovations.