We partner with leaders and businesses in high-trust, high-stakes roles to help share the stories behind the numbers —with clarity, integrity, and confidence.

Make decisions with clarity & confidence.

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We see what you’re up against.

The Challenges Leaders Face

In roles where every misstep carries weight, you don’t get the luxury of confusion. Even the most capable leaders hit walls and leading in the public eye comes with real pressure — and little room for guesswork.

Complexity without clarity
Budgets, audits, and compliance requirements that pull you away from your mission.

Operational chaos
Too many systems, too few hands, and no single source of truth.

Decision fatigue
Constant, high-stakes choices with incomplete or outdated information.

Stakeholder pressure
Boards, councils, and communities who expect transparency — and answers — yesterday.

These challenges aren’t a sign of weakness.
They’re signs you need the right partner in your corner.

Our Approach

Guiding leaders through complexity with clarity, integrity, and purpose.

We work with public-facing leaders who make high-stakes decisions for their communities.
Our approach is built on three pillars that keep strategy, operations, and values in balance.

Strategy & Insight

We clarify what’s at stake and help you analyze objective data to navigate forward — from annual budgeting to longer-term planning.

Systems & Structure

We bring operational order to chaos: building workflows, automating back-office tasks, and helping teams use the right tools the right way.

Stewardship & Trust

We help leaders and institutions act with transparency and integrity — aligning boards, councils, and communities around shared priorities.

How we help.

Turning our approach into real-world results.

Advisory Support

On-call strategic support for leaders navigating complex decisions in real time who need directional guidance on both the big picture and detailed nuance.
Strategic Workshops

Tailored learning sessions to help get your team on the same page on the complexity behind the numbers so that you can make smarter, values-driven decisions—on budgets, strategy, and systems.
Operational & Technology Reviews

Strategic assessments to uncover inefficiencies, improve data usage, and generate meaningful insights. From scoping to outcomes, we will help diagnose pain points and chart a new way forward.

When you’re responsible for people, budgets, and mission—you need more than guesswork. You need confident clarity in the numbers.

Harborstead Advisory was founded by Brigid D’Souza — CPA, former Big 4 consultant, tenured accounting professor, and civic literacy advocate. For more than a decade, she has distilled complex local budgets and property tax systems into clear, actionable insights for communities, public officials, and the press.

Experienced in the c-suite, the classroom, and the public square, Brigid brings experience and know-how to clients who are servant leaders and need operational clarity drawn form objective data. Recognized by NJBIZ and the NJ Society of CPAs for leadership in higher education and the accounting profession, Brigid is a trusted teacher and advisor when the numbers are public-facing and high stakes.

Her work has helped families, civic leaders, and church communities understand — and act on — the financial realities shaping their missions. Today, she brings that same rigor and clarity to institutional leadership, building finance, strategy, and governance systems that allow leaders to move forward with confidence, integrity, and transparency.