Helen Sharkey-Gebhard

Helen Sharkey is a professional ethics speaker and consultant known for her expertise in corporate accountability, whistleblower responsibility, and workplace ethics. A former certified public accountant, Sharkey shares her personal experience with corporate fraud to highlight the importance of ethical decision-making and the consequences of silence in business environments. Her presentations provide insight into how ordinary professionals can become entangled in legal and ethical violations, drawing from her involvement in a high-profile structured finance transaction at Dynegy, an energy trading company in Houston.

Sharkey was the lowest-level employee on a $300 million structured finance transaction team called Project Alpha. During the transaction, she witnessed a request from a bank that would have violated accounting rules. Despite recognizing the wrongdoing, Sharkey followed her supervisor’s directive to proceed, which ultimately led to her involvement in securities fraud. The Securities and Exchange Commission investigated Project Alpha, resulting in criminal charges brought by the Justice Department against Sharkey and two other employees. She pled guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit securities fraud, served 28 days in federal prison, spent six months under house arrest, and paid a $10,000 fine. No senior executives were charged in connection with the case.

Sharkey now educates audiences on ethics, compliance, and the risks of ignoring red flags in the workplace. She discusses the challenges she faced during the investigation, her decision to plead guilty, and the personal and professional consequences of her actions. Sharkey’s story serves as a cautionary tale for employees and leaders in corporate governance, risk management, and compliance, emphasizing that following orders does not absolve individuals of legal responsibility.

Sharkey has spoken at the University of Houston-Victoria School of Business Administration Distinguished Speaker Series, the Houston Association of Certified Fraud Examiners, and Lamar University's ExxonMobil Executive in Residence Program, where she delivered her talk, "How I Became a..." Her presentations are recognized for their candid exploration of ethical dilemmas and their impact on individuals and organizations. Sharkey advocates for a culture of transparency and encourages professionals to speak up when confronted with unethical practices, reinforcing the critical role of ethics in business and finance.