H E Branch Advisors

I help

organizations

become

better

decision makers

Good decision-making relies on three strengths:

clear strategy, resilient processes, and a thoughtfully designed team structure. When any one of those is underdeveloped or misaligned with institutional needs, one of the first symptoms is painful decision making.

By working with you to develop organization-specific strategies, processes, and structures, I can help you solve challenging problems and cultivate a community of good decision makers, from senior leaders to the teams on the ground.

Perhaps you already have a theory about what the challenge is. Perhaps you only have a list of symptoms. Either way, I can help with both diagnosing the problem and creating a road map to a solution.

Services

How can I help? Whether you have a short-term project that could benefit from an outside perspective or are looking for longer-term assistance and leadership, I have an option that can meet your needs—and your budget.

When you need senior-level expertise but don’t want to add headcount, this is a great way to expand your senior team by adding a part-time member to meet an organizational need.
A fractional executive can help you:
- Understand the underlying reasons for the challenges your team is experiencing
- Create a roadmap for or lead a long-term project
- Develop a new strategic plan
- Expand your current thinking or introduce new ideas
- Oversee a growing revenue line and assess current and future management needs
- Support the growth of a new senior leader
- Fill a temporary gap while a senior leader is on leave
This option gives you flexibility to grow your senior team temporarily–or even try out a new role before committing the budget for a full-time position.
Fractional executive services are available through a retainer fee structure.
This option is ideal when you have a standalone, short-term project (1-2 months) that requires expertise that exceeds the capacity of your current team.
Project examples: assessment of your operational revenue strategy, evaluation of current processes vs. best practices, recommendations on structure and accountability, identification of key performance indicators for ongoing reporting.
Hourly and project-based fee structures are available for consulting services.

About Hilary

I embrace growth and change in both my professional and personal life.

I’m a cultural omnivore who is always planning her next trip. I’m currently learning German and am not afraid to use it. I graduated with degrees from Wellesley College and the University of Chicago and regardless of what you might have heard, I managed to have a great time at both. And despite having been a Vice President at the second largest art museum in the country, the leadership I’m most proud of is keeping my book club running smoothly for 15 years and counting.

I’ve worked in non-profits for two decades and most recently served as Vice President for Planning and Strategy at the Art Institute of Chicago. In that role, I led projects ranging from reopening the museum during COVID to overhauling the exhibition planning process to overseeing the development of a strategic plan. “Other duties as assigned” was my sweet spot. I thrive in ambiguous moments and expertly navigate change. And I care deeply about the success of museums and other non-profits.