Ordained a priest in 1983, Archbishop Coakley served the Diocese of Wichita for 21 years before being appointed Bishop of Salina in 2004. Archbishop Coakley was appointed the fourth Archbishop of the Oklahoma City Diocese in 2010. He was elected Secretary of the United States Catholic Conference of Bishops in 2022 and serves as Chairman of the organization's Committee on Priorities and Plans. He serves on a number of prestigious episcopal councils and boards and is the Ecclesiastical Advisor for Napa Institute.