More About Hillary
Hillary Woest is a third-generation educator, national presenter, staff developer, leadership coach, and practitioner with over 26 years of experience in public education. She is the founder of Empowered Learning, Inc., an education consulting firm dedicated to helping schools and districts build systems of support that truly work—for students, teachers, and leaders.
Through her work with Empowered Learning, Hillary partners directly with schools and districts to strengthen Tier 1 instruction, align collaborative practices, and design sustainable supports that meet the needs of all learners, especially historically underserved and underperforming student populations. Her approach is practical, relational, and grounded in the belief that when educators are empowered, student outcomes transform.
Hillary’s mission is simple: to empower educators to live their purpose, stay inspired, and do good.
In addition to her independent work, Hillary also serves as an Associate with Solution Tree, where she provides training and coaching grounded in their nationally recognized PLC at Work® and RTI at Work® models. She has supported implementation efforts across the country, contributing to multiple campuses earning Model PLC and Promising PLC Practices designations. Her leadership in Special Education has also been recognized by the Texas Education Agency’s Region 4 for best practices.
Hillary’s deep commitment to service extends beyond public education. In 2017, she received Rotary International’s highest individual honor—the Distinguished Service Above Self Award—an internationally competitive recognition presented to no more than 150 Rotarians worldwide each year. She has also been named a Paul Harris Fellow by The Rotary Foundation for her ongoing dedication to humanitarian leadership and community impact.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders from the University of Houston and a Master of Science in Counseling from the University of Houston–Clear Lake. She is a licensed school counselor and a certified T-TESS administrator in the state of Texas.
Hillary’s academic and professional credentials reflect a deep commitment to communication, growth, and educational leadership—values that continue to guide her work today. At its core, her work is anchored in compassion, collaboration, and clarity.