User Profile

D.D. Hilke is the Executive Director of the Northwest UU Justice Network,  as well as an organizational coach and an occasional lecturer at the University of Washington.  Dr. Hilke coaches individuals and organizations to achieve effective intentional leadership, healthy organizational development, and contagious contribution to society.

Beginning her career as a research psychologist at the Smithsonian’s Office of Educational Research, Dr. Hilke investigated how families learn and what kinds of museum exhibits are most effective. She was an early champion of visitor-centered exhibition development, of evaluation as an ongoing practice, and of what would later be called Universal Design. Dr. Hilke has developed and managed major exhibit projects (and teams) for the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History, the Maryland Science Center and the Denver Museum of Nature and Science. As President and CEO of the Children’s Museum of Utah, she shepherded the Museum through institutional re-visioning, a $31 million capital campaign and bond referendum, rapid growth and a successful, on-time opening as the new Discovery Gateway. Today, Dr. Hilke coaches individuals and organizations to achieve effective intentional leadership, healthy organizational development, and contagious contribution to society.

Specialties:

Nonprofit management & leadership
Board & staff/team development
Individual, organizational & partnership coaching
3S Business Planning: Strategic, Sustainable, & Service-based Museum development
Powerful participatory learning experiences
Exhibit development, implementation and evaluation
Capital project and campaign management
Grant development