See Beyond the Obvious.
Find your Next Move.
Strategic planning, brand storytelling, fundraising and executive coaching for sports and nonprofit organizations and leaders.
Experience iNSIDE. pERSPECTIVE oUTSIDE. a cLEAR pATh fORWARD.
After more than 30 years leading and working inside sports and nonprofit organizations, I know that the answer isn't always obvious, and the best path forward rarely starts with a template.
I've led Olympic sport organizations through growth, change and complexity. I've worked with boards, executives, athletes, donors and stakeholders. I understand the realities behind the decisions, and what it takes to turn a good idea into meaningful progress.
Today, I bring that experience to organizations and leaders looking for a trusted perspective, a thoughtful challenge and a clear path forward
What I do
Strategic Planning + oRGANIZATIONAL sTRATEGY
The best strategic plans aren't built on a template. They're built around your organization’s unique mission, people, opportunities and challenges.
I help organizations step back, see the bigger picture, align the right people and turn competing priorities into a focused path forward.
From: organizational assessment and discovery
To: Focused strategy, stakeholder alignment and sustainable action
Revenue + Fundraising Strategy COnsulting
Sustainable growth requires more than a fundraising goal. It requires a compelling brand identity and narrative that inspires stakeholders. I help sports organizations harness their unique story, refine their brand positioning, and leverage it into corporate partnerships, major gifts, and diversified revenue streams.
From: Unfocused positioning and missed revenue opportunities
To: A clear brand strategy that fuels commercial and philanthropic growth
Executive Coaching
Leadership can be lonely, especially when you're the person everyone else looks to for the answers.
I provide a trusted outside perspective for leaders who need someone to think with, challenge assumptions, navigate complexity and talk through the things that don't always have a place in the room.
My coaching is practical, candid and grounded in more than three decades of leadership experience.
A place to think. A perspective to challenge you. A partner for what's next.
Meet Me, Debbie Hesse
I've spent more than three decades helping sports and nonprofit organizations grow, evolve and fulfill their missions.
I bring an uncommon combination of strategic thinking, operational experience, fundraising expertise and an intuitive ability to bring people together.
My approach is straightforward: listen carefully, ask better questions, tell the truth, find the opportunity and help people move forward together.
I believe the best work happens when strategy and people are considered together—and when a plan is built not just to look good on paper, but to actually be used
Strategic Advisor | Fundraising Leader | Executive Coach
How I work
Listen. Challenge. Align. Act.
Every organization and every leader is different. So I start by listening.
I take the time to understand the people, dynamics and realities behind the situation. I ask the hard questions, challenge assumptions and look for what's beneath the obvious.
Then I bring people together around what matters most, and help turn insight into action
No cookie cutter solutions. The strategy must fit you.
Listen
Understand the organization, the people and what’s really going on
Challenge
Question assumptions, surface blind spots and find the opportunity
Align
Understand the organization, the people and what’s really going on.
Act
Turn priorities into ownership, action and forward momentum. The goal isn’t a plan. It’s progress.
What People Say
The best measure of my work and impact is what the people I’ve worked with say about it
USA Triathlon set out to develop a bold and ambitious strategic plan to establish our Foundation as a philanthropic leader in sport. Debbie Hesse was a skilled and insightful facilitator who expertly guided an impressive group of strategic thinkers, representing triathlon’s constituent groups, to develop a bold and ambitious strategic plan to grow resources for the sport. She was committed to a collaborative process that elevated the organizational vision and leaned into our strengths and opportunities. Her unique experience, perspective and natural service-leader approach brought the best out of the group. The end result is a roadmap that is aspirational and achievable.”
Victoria Brumfield CEO, USA Triathlon
“It had been six years since our organization had updated its strategic plan. It was time to reinvigorate the organization!
Debbie was masterful at guiding the Board and our key stakeholders through the proper exercises and discussions to get the Board aligned on a robust strategic plan to take the organization to a new level. Further, she provided coaching for the next 10 months which allowed the Board to make the Strategic Plan a living document by helping us develop the Operating Plan for the next year.
Debbie's deep experience as a CEO and fundraiser helped us move through the process efficiently and effectively. Thank you, Debbie, for helping us all do our jobs as trustees better and making our Strategic Plan a living document.”
Karen C. Rosolowski
President, USA Artistic Swimming Foundation
“Indiana Swimming engaged Debbie Hesse as the Facilitator of our LSC Strategic Planning Sessions.
Debbie has a natural talent in facilitation and leading people. During the group working session, she masterfully demonstrated the art of facilitation through seamless transitions, clear instructions, and deeper dives into her experience and knowledge. In a very short time, she built a good rapport with the participants.
Her powerfully intuitive sense for what is needed in the moment helped to meet the needs of our organization and create momentum for our long-range vision, mission, and strategic objectives. Her actions and perceptions served to validate her credibility as a subject matter expert.
It was a pleasure for us to work with her. We sincerely thank Debbie for her contribution to the future of our organization.
Tony Young
Executive Director, Indiana Swimming Inc.
What’s Your Next Move?
Whether you're thinking through a strategic challenge for your organization or navigating one as a leader, let's start with a conversation.