Ralph Roberto established Essex Partners in 1999 to provide superior career consulting and state-of-the-art technology exclusively for senior executives. Currently, Ralph serves as President of Keystone Partners, parent company to Essex, where he oversees the strategic direction and daily operations of the company and its divisions. Ralph also personally consults with senior executive clients and has partnered with hundreds of leaders from many of the world’s most prestigious organizations, including Fortune 500 companies, industry-leading corporations and emerging growth organizations.

Sean T. Kenney, Partner, brings an entrepreneurial, business development and career management background to his consulting work with senior executives and business leaders at Essex. With a particular strength in helping clients position and market themselves for successful advancement, Sean leverages relationships in the greater Boston area established over many years in business development to gain visibility for his clients with retained recruiters and target companies. Sean has also guided many executives through the process of exploring and making significant career or life changes.

Before joining Essex, Sean was Vice President of Keystone Associates, where he consulted with senior executives from financial services, life sciences, healthcare, private equity, higher education and non-profit organizations on advancing their careers and exploring new professional options.

Previously, Sean served in a dual role of Business Development Manager and Market Research Consultant for Massachusetts-based Foresight Science & Technology. At Foresight, Sean identified niche markets and designed targeted entry strategies for emerging technologies through strategic partnerships with licensees, developers and manufacturers in the value chain. Prior to Foresight, Sean co-founded a greeting card and stationery product company on the west coast and served as its President during eight years of significant growth.

Sean has been actively involved in The Salvation Army of Massachusetts Bay, serving as Vice Chair of the Advisory Board and Chair of the Human Services Committee. He serves on the Advisory Board of the Career Collaborative, a non-profit organization helping people with low-incomes become economically self-sufficient. Sean holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Boston College.

Louisa Mattson, Ph.D., Partner, is an Essex career consultant and a business psychologist specializing in the field of career management. Louisa consults with Essex executive clients providing in-depth assessment and career management strategies. Additionally, Louisa has developed a unique talent for working with sitting executives to improve on-the-job business performance through coaching and assessment. Louisa also does specialized work with senior women executives, helping them to reach new executive levels, define alternative career paths and improve work/life balance. Her background in education and healthcare includes working at Wesleyan University and The Marino Center for Progressive Health as well as over 20 years in a private consulting practice. Louisa is experienced in a variety of executive assessment inventories useful in career planning and personal development, and has in-depth experience in stress management and performance enhancement techniques. She has advanced training in leading-edge mind/body techniques for addressing "whole person" issues.

Louisa holds a Ph.D. in clinical psychology from the University of Minnesota and has a Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Michigan. She also has completed a postdoctoral fellowship in Organizational Development and Human Resource Consulting. She is a licensed One-on-One HeartMath® provider and a member of the American Psychological Association and The National Register of Health Service Providers.

Jim McClure, Partner, understands the demands and the challenges that face today’s leaders. Coaching and recruiting top talent for more than 20 years, Jim’s integrity and credible long-standing C-level and board relationships are the foundation of his highly accomplished network of contacts. At Essex, and previously with his own firm, Jim guides C-suite executives through a career and business management and development process that helps assess, coach and advise top talent. His in-depth consulting also provides counsel that acts as an agent to help executives achieve their goals.

Before joining Essex, Jim was Managing Director at Prestonwood Associates, where he managed the C-suite practice for this leading executive search firm. Prior, he founded McClure Partners, an executive coaching and advisory management firm, specializing in CEO/C-suite talent and was a Principal with the Tom Peters Company. Previously, Jim was a 12-year Managing Director/Partner at Korn/Ferry International where he completed over 220 high-level search assignments with over 45 executive searches for CEO/General Managers. Jim spent the early part of his career in the high technology trade publishing industries, including senior management positions at International Data Group (IDG) and McGraw-Hill.

Jim holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in English from Hobart and William Smith College and was a former member of the Mass Technology Leadership Council and the Association for Corporate Growth. He has been trained in coaching at the Coaches Training Institute (CTI), The Business Training Institute (BTI), The Creative Problem Solving Institute (CPSI) and The Linkage Coaching and Mentoring Conference. He is a frequent motivational public speaker and serves on the board of Crossroads 4 Kids (Trustee and Head of the Personnel Committee).

Howard Seidel, Ed.D., J.D., Partner, has over 15 years experience as a career and executive coach, guiding hundreds of senior executives in all aspects of career development and change. Dr. Seidel provides clients with an in-depth knowledge into the strategic and tactical elements of the transition process, along with a special expertise in advising senior executives exploring career change. Before joining Essex, Howard was Vice President of Keystone Associates, where he consulted on career transitions with senior executives from leading organizations spanning a variety of industries, including financial services, biotechnology and life sciences, health care and higher education.

Prior, Howard served in several consulting roles at Electronic Data Systems (EDS) where he helped build the company's first external practice in Change Management, and provided executive coaching. He also led the company's development of a proprietary performance consulting methodology, spearheading the introduction of the system to the market. Additionally, Howard worked at Andersen Consulting (now Accenture) where he managed the development and delivery of a worldwide training architecture for a new business initiative.

Howard has achieved widespread recognition for his insight on career matters, being interviewed by such national media outlets as the Wall Street Journal and Landed.fm. Howard holds a Doctorate in Education from Harvard University and a law degree from The George Washington University where he also received his Bachelor of Arts.

Judy Shen-Filerman, Consultant, has an impressive background in marketing and general management with some of the world’s leading consumer goods companies. For the past five years, she has leveraged her business expertise and personal experience in cross-cultural management and work-life transitions into consulting with senior executives and organizations. At Essex, Judy works with clients to create effective goals and strategies in both their life and work.

Prior to joining Essex, Judy founded a successful consulting firm which specialized in new business development and strategic planning for clients such as Hostelling International (American Youth Hostel), Polaroid Internet and Wireless Group and several concept-staged start-ups. She also has held key marketing management roles at the following brand leaders: Polaroid Corporation, Campbell Soup Company, Johnson & Johnson and Procter & Gamble. Judy has worked in both the United States and in Asia.

Judy holds both a Bachelor’s degree and an MBA from Harvard. Immigrating to the US at the age of six from Taiwan, she continues to be fluent in Mandarin Chinese. She is a sought-after lecturer on issues of business acculturation by persons of multi-cultural backgrounds and has worked with impressive organizations including Harvard University, Boston University, Brandeis University, Bentley College, Suffolk University, the Boston MBA Consortium and the National Association of Asian American Professionals. Judy has also served on the Board of the YWCA of Boston.