“Our Library Foundation’s success owes no small part to her wisdom and support.”
I’ve had the pleasure of working with Helen for over a decade with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation, growing and strengthening the organization together. With purposeful guidance and level-headed leadership, she brings clarity and creativity to all she sets in her sights. Our Library Foundation’s success owes no small part to her wisdom and support.
Executive Director, Charlotte Mecklenburg Library Foundation
“She led us through a critical moment and delivered a strategic plan our community truly owns.”
We worked with Helen during a critical strategic planning process at our 10-year anniversary. She went above-and-beyond to include as many voices of our community members as possible. As a result, we finished with a strategic plan our entire community felt proud of — and is still guiding our work today. Helen’s wisdom, compassion, enthusiasm, and strategic mind make her an ideal partner!
Executive Director, Urban Promise Charlotte
“Helen was a steady, trusted guide who pushed our thinking while keeping us aligned with our values.”
Working with Helen Kimbrough has been a truly impactful partnership. From the outset, Helen demonstrated a deep respect for community voice, paired with a rigorous, thoughtful approach to engagement. Her work helped us move beyond surface-level input to meaningfully center residents’ lived experiences, ensuring that community insights were not only heard but also translated into clear, actionable direction.
Helen’s ability to blend strong quantitative and qualitative research with human-centered design strengthened both our decision-making and our accountability to the community we serve. Throughout the process, Helen was a steady, trusted guide, asking the right questions, pushing our thinking, and helping us stay aligned with our values around equity, transparency, and shared ownership.
As we enter the next stage of our community engagement work, we continue to view Helen as a critical partner. Their commitment to authentic engagement, strategic clarity, and real-world impact positions our work to be more responsive, more inclusive, and ultimately more effective for the community.
Executive Director, GreenLight Fund Charlotte
“She equipped participants with the tools and confidence to navigate uncertainty and strengthen their impact.”
Helen delivered an engaging workshop session on Community Voice that gave participants real, practical tools to navigate policy shifts and decreases in federal funding. She helped attendees think differently about revenue diversification and walked them through storytelling, the narrative arc, and best practices in a way that felt accessible and useful. Participants left feeling more confident about sharing their stories and measuring their impact.
Vice President, Board Management
Community Programs & Civic Leadership, Foundation For The Carolinas
“Through her leadership, we strengthened relationships with government and community partners — elevating both our visibility and our impact.”
We are honored to recommend Helen Hope Kimbrough and her work through Spero Hawk. Helen has been an invaluable partner to Youth Development Initiatives (YDI), bringing not only strategic insight but a deep and authentic commitment to community.
Helen has a rare ability to truly listen — to understand the heart of an organization’s mission and the voices of its stakeholders — and then translate that understanding into meaningful connections and action. Through her leadership, YDI has been able to strengthen relationships with government and community partners, elevating both our visibility and our impact.
She is a natural connector who understands how to navigate systems while keeping people at the center of the work. Helen brings clarity to complex conversations, facilitates collaboration across sectors, and ensures that community voice is not just included, but valued.
Charlotte’s nonprofit and civic landscape is stronger because of Helen’s leadership. For organizations preparing for a new chapter or seeking thoughtful strategy, facilitation, or community-informed implementation, Spero Hawk offers the kind of grounded, relationship-driven expertise that creates lasting impact.
Helen is truly a trusted partner and a tremendous asset to our community.
CEO, Youth Development Initiatives
Director of Philanthropy, Youth Development Initiatives
“Helen’s preparation and thoughtful moderation made a real difference — her guidance shaped the energy of the entire event.”
Helen’s thoughtful moderation elevated our Education Summit, guiding meaningful conversations and lifting every voice. The preparation she did with our team, including the walkthrough and facilitator training, made a real difference. Because of her commitment, the same energy and guidance carried through every aspect of the event.
Director of Educational Partnerships, Ada Jenkins Center
“I’m grateful to Helen Hope Kimbrough and Spero Hawk for leading a session that helped us not just reflect, but re-energize around what’s ahead. ”
The reminder that strong roots fuel meaningful growth couldn’t have come at a better time.
Chief Operating Officer, Road to Hire, Leadership, NC
“Helen was relatable, engaging, and created genuine space for audience contribution — participants weren’t just listening, they were actively involved.”
At the Spring 2026 Neighborhood Board Retreat, neighborhood board leaders from across the city had the pleasure of experiencing a truly outstanding session on Strengthening Boards Through Collaboration, Storytelling & Trust. From start to finish, the presentation was interactive, informative, and immediately applicable to the participants.
Helen artfully guided participants through a series of meaningful exercises, opening with an asset mapping activity that sparked rich conversation and helped boards see the strengths already present within their communities. A 60-second storytelling exercise challenged participants to distill their work into a powerful, personal narrative, a skill every neighborhood leader can use. She rounded out the session with a compelling exploration of trust and credibility, tying all three elements together in a way that left participants feeling more confident and equipped in their board roles.
What set this session apart was her ability to make every concept feel practical and accessible. Helen was relatable, engaging, and created genuine space for audience contribution, participants weren’t just listening, they were actively involved. The energy in the room was a testament to her skill as a facilitator.
The feedback was overwhelmingly positive. Participants expressed how much they appreciated the real-world applicability of the content, and I received multiple requests to bring her back for future sessions. She was fantastic!
If you are looking for a speaker who can meet your audience where they are, bring energy and expertise to any room, and leave people genuinely inspired to lead better, I highly recommend Helen and Spero Hawk Coaching & Consulting.
Neighborhood & Community Partnerships Manager, City of Charlotte
