Talent Champion – Ginger Coffey

Talent Champion Spotlight

AEF Talent Champion - Ginger Coffey

Ginger Coffey
Head of Talent Development for Marketing  
Cisco Systems

Ginger Coffey serves as head of talent development for marketing at Cisco. Her organization leads Marketing’s new hire graduate program and is responsible for general skills development and change management training for the Growth Marketing organization.

As a global learning and development leader, Coffey is responsible for aligning Marketing’s learning and development with its organizational strategy and business needs. She is passionate about developing people and realizing the benefits of aligning talent, roles, and processes.

Coffey has over 20 years of experience in the Learning and Development field across a diverse set of industries, from software engineering to oil and gas. She has designed and led functional learning organizations, focused on alignment of development initiatives with the business.

What prompted you to get involved with the AEF and why are you passionate about the future of the industry?

AEF allows me to connect with other professionals working to solve talent development challenges within Marketing. I am excited by the opportunities to learn from and share with others in the field.

What is the best career advice you've ever received?

Focus your efforts where you know you can have an impact on outcomes.

Who was your favorite professor and why?

My favorite professor was my graduate school advisor, Rick Law. He always treated me as an equal even though his years of experience meant he generally knew a lot more than I did. Our relationship taught me to always remember that you can learn from every person, no matter their years of experience.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

I am energized by seeing the changes that myself and my team bring about in others. To feel that you have opened doors for someone else or broadened their perspective is an amazing feeling.

"Our future marketing and advertising leaders are not just looking for a job, they are looking for a meaningful career that will make a positive impact on society."
— Gord McLean, President and CEO at ANA Educational Foundation