I walk alongside my clients, leading them through a process to create clarity, illuminate the path forward and generate the momentum required to achieve lasting transformation.
ORGANIZATIONs
Supporting organizations to define, design and drive transformation that boosts performance, modernizes outdated practices, shifts mindsets and brings innovative ideas life.
Fractional Organizational Development Leadership
Strategic Initiative design and program leadership
Talent Strategy Development
Organization Assessment & Consultation
GROUPS & TEAMS
Team offsites, leadership workshops and cross-functional meetings that engage, align, inspire, and transform.
Annual and Strategic Planning
Cross-Functional Alignment Sessions
Team Offsites & Coaching
Group Trainings on human dynamics of change, neuro-informed leadership, personal style and custom-developed topics.
LEADERS
Leadership development coaching to define goals, identify obstacles and guide personal transformation.
6-week Clarity + Illumination Program
Medium and long-term coaching partnerships
“Amy’s unique ability to bridge vision and implementation allowed us to define our strategy and align the board and executive leadership towards a shared future. Her influence has been transformative.”
— Board member · Ocean conservation Non-Profit
“I believe that if you approach leadership like an alchemist, success doesn’t have to come at the expense of compromising your vision, running on empty, or sacrificing a rich and meaningful life.”
- Amy Hillyard
If there’s one thing I want every leader to know, it’s that I understand how overwhelming it can feel to meet all the demands of today’s complex and fast-paced world. And, I believe that if you approach leadership like an alchemist, success doesn’t have to come at the expense of compromising your vision, running on empty, or sacrificing a rich and meaningful life. I’m here to be your partner on that journey.
Over my two-decade career, I’ve had the privilege of guiding leaders from companies like Apple, Gap, Electronic Arts and The Marine Mammal Center to clarify their vision and illuminate a path to inspired success. My approach combines the principles of organizational development, change management, and integral coaching with creative tools like in-the-moment graphics, storytelling, and spiritual wisdom. This bespoke blend of consultative approaches sparks insight, broadens perspectives, drives clarity and builds the momentum needed for meaningful transformation.
In my own life, I follow the same principles leadership alchemy that I use with my clients. In addition to running my consulting practice, my husband Chris and I co-own Farley’s Coffee, two community-centered coffee houses in the Bay Area. I also dedicate significant time to nonprofit boards and pro-bono community projects. You can often find me in my Oakland backyard, making pizza in our wood-fired oven, surrounded by family and friends.
I hold a master’s degree in organizational psychology from John F. Kennedy University and a Bachelor of Arts in international relations from the University of California, Davis. I’m also a certified Integral Coach, trained graphic facilitator, and hold numerous certifications in strategy, human development, and change management models.
I look forward to partnering with you to discover how leadership alchemy can unlock the full potential of your career, team, or organization.
“Amy is an incredibly powerful partner. Her unique strength lies in understanding not only the organizational system I’m working in but also my role as a leader within it. ”
SVP Go to Market & Sales Ops · B2b SAAS COMPANY
Clients
“Amy is my secret weapon every time I step into a new leadership role. From day one, she dives in to understand the current context and quickly becomes an invaluable sounding board and strategic thought partner.”
—Cheif People Officer · AI Saas Company
Testimonials
“Amy was instrumental in making our first post-COVID board offsite a resounding success. Her deep understanding of our organization and her ability to navigate complex issues and diverse personalities brought our team into true alignment. Amy created an environment where productive, strategic dialogue could flourish, and we achieved outcomes that simply wouldn’t have been possible without her guidance. Her role was essential in helping us prepare for the next steps of our strategic journey.”
- Board Member · Environmental Non-Profit
"Amy is my secret weapon every time I step into a new role as Head of HR. From day one, she dives in to understand the current context and quickly becomes an invaluable sounding board and strategic thought partner as I develop my approach. Whether we’re crafting corporate values, implementing performance management systems, facilitating team offsites, or even re-engineering business processes, Amy’s expertise and hands-on support make all the difference. Having Amy by my side is like having an ‘extra pair of strategic hands,’ and any leader fortunate enough to work with her is gaining a powerful asset for their team."
- Chief People Officer · AI SaaS Company
“Amy is an incredibly powerful partner—her unique strength lies in understanding not only the organizational system I’m working in but also my role as a leader within it. She helps me navigate complex dynamics, offering both strategic insights and coaching that elevate my leadership and personal resilience. With Amy’s guidance, I’ve built the trust and structures necessary for a high-performing leadership team and gained the skills to approach complexity, stress, and organizational politics with greater skillfulness and ease. She’s an invaluable ally in my leadership journey.”
- SVP Go-to-Market & Sales Operations · B2B SaaS Company
”Amy has an incredible gift in unpacking your thoughts to surface your deep values and beliefs. She has a powerful technique that visualizes what’s going on in your mind in the context of your team, company, and environment. As you are talking, she is drawing and this picture gives you clarity on where you are and who you want to become.”- Chief People Officer · Technology Company
”As a coach, Amy offers tremendous empathy and presence. She listened deeply to understand me and the entire picture of my life. Then she synthesized what she heard and gave me development assignments, new lenses to see my way of being, and ideas for how to approach the challenges I was running into as a leader.”- Co-Founder/CEO · Gaming Company
“Our work together gave me clarity about who I am, what I stand for, and how I should move forward as a leader.”
—Chief People Officer · Technology Company
