Lochlin Partners Assists the Entertainment Software Association with CFO Search
December 19, 2025 – Lochlin Partners has helped to recruit Heather Dean as the new CFO of the Entertainment Software Association (ESA) in Washington, D.C. In this executive leadership role, she is responsible for overseeing all financial activities of the association, including fiscal management of the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB), the ESA Foundation, and serving as treasurer of the ESA Political Action Committee (PAC).
Ms. Dean brings more than 30 years of experience in not-for-profit leadership with expertise in finance, administration, and strategic initiatives for national membership organizations. Most recently, she served as chief finance and administrative officer at the American Society of Association Executives (ASAE).
Prior to that, Ms. Dean served as managing director at Cordia Partners, now a Cherry Bekaert company, where she worked directly with association and non-profit CEOs to develop high-level financial strategies. Prior to joining Cordia Partners, she held executive roles in a number of non-profit organizations, including deputy executive director and chief operations officer at the National School Boards Association and deputy executive director, programs and operations, at National PTA. Ms. Dean has also held various roles in public accounting firms doing financial planning and analysis, compliance and audit work.
The Entertainment Software Association is the trade association that represents the U.S. video game industry. Founded in 1994, the ESA serves as the voice of game publishers, developers, and distributors, advocating for their interests in areas such as intellectual property protection, public policy, and global market access. The organization also conducts research on the economic and cultural impact of video games, helping to highlight the industry’s contributions to innovation, job creation, and entertainment.
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Lochlin Partners also recently assisted in the recruitment of Jason Mahler as senior vice president of government affairs of the Entertainment Software Association. Reporting to president and CEO Stanley Pierre-Louis, Mr. Mahler leads the ESA’s federal and state legislative and regulatory advocacy efforts on behalf of the U.S. video game industry. “Jason’s extensive experience in the legislative arena, particularly in technology, communications, and intellectual property policy, presents an exciting and powerful addition to ESA’s advocacy capabilities,” Mr. Pierre-Louis said. “The interactive entertainment industry is an economic powerhouse that continues to innovate and evolve, and Jason’s expertise strengthens ESA’s ability to demonstrate the positive impacts of our industry to policymakers.”
Serving the Government and Corporate Affairs Sectors
Lochlin Partners conducts searches for board and executive-level positions within government and corporate affairs, government contracting, technology and services, higher education, the public sector, financial services, and healthcare. The firm is led by managing partners Liza Wright, and Pat Friel. Each of the managing partners has been in the search business for 20 or more years and has been a partner in one of the four large international firms—and in most cases has run a major office or practice at those firms.
For more than 25 years, Mr. Friel has provided executive search and leadership advisory services to a broad range of clients. He works extensively with clients in government, financial services, technology and professional services organizations, trade and membership associations, and non-profits, helping these clients build world-class management teams. Mr. Friel provides particular expertise in recruiting senior executives in the areas of general management (CEOs and general managers), financial management (CFOs, controllers, tax and audit leadership) and business management functions including marketing, business development, legal and human resources.
Ms. Wright has over 25 years of experience in the executive search industry. Prior to co-founding Lochlin Partners, she served at the highest levels of government, working at the White House as the assistant to the President and director of Presidential Personnel. As the senior personnel advisor to former President George W. Bush, she met with the President regularly to recommend individuals to fill critical presidential appointments, including Cabinet Secretaries, ambassadors and other key positions in cabinet-level departments and U.S. regulatory agencies.
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Contributed by Scott A. Scanlon, Editor-in-Chief and Dale M. Zupsansky, Executive Editor – Hunt Scanlon Media
