Our Team

The team at One Hope Project is led by executive director, Hilary Pacha.  Hilary has over 15 years of experience in leading social service organizations and programs.  She has an exemplary background in building organizations and initiatives from the ground up, as well as managing daily operations and budgets.  Hilary earned several promotions in her time at the YWCA of McLean County – from Medical/Legal Advocate and Volunteer Coordinator to Senior Director of Prevention and Empowerment Services.  While there, she led Stepping Stones, Labyrinth, Youth Empowerment, and a variety of other programs.  Hilary also served adults with developmental disabilities as Resident Manager and Support Coordinator with Marcfirst, a Council on Quality and Leadership (CQL) accredited organization.  

In addition to her work in adult services, Hilary has extensive experience working with children.  In her role as Family Service Coordinator at the Children’s Home Society of Florida, Hilary evaluated children with developmental delays, created and implemented Individual Family Support Plans, and provided case management services.  She also served as a pre-school teacher at the Debra T. Thomas Learning Center in Bloomington, Illinois.  

Hilary has earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Illinois State University and a Master of Art in Criminal Justice from American Public University.

She serves as adjunct faculty and guest lecturer at Illinois State University where she has delivered lectures on Contemporary Topics in Social Work: Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention and has presented on disordered eating to both graduate and undergraduate students.   She has served as a governing body member and convener of the Illinois Coalition Against Sexual Assault (ICASA) and has earned a number of honors and awards, including the 2008 American Association of Intellectual Developmental Disabilities (AAIDD) DSP of the Year and 2007 Marcfirst Quiet Hero awards.  

Without a doubt, her top priority and proudest accomplishment is being a single mom to her five children.  She is actively involved in a variety of community organizations, her church, and enjoys spending what little free time she has with family and friends.