We partner with leaders in high-trust, high-stakes roles—where clarity, integrity , and structure aren’t optional, they’re essential.

Empowering Servant Leaders
to confidently lead with the numbers

Let's Talk

Who We Serve

Parish & Diocesan Leaders

We guide Catholic institutions through the complexities of finance, HR, and compliance. From parish bookkeeping to diocesan systems transformation, we build operational clarity rooted in mission.
School Leaders

We help superintendents, school business administrators, and principals align budgets, reporting, and operations with strategic goals—so they can focus on delivering the best outcomes for students and communities.
Local Government Leaders

We help elected officials, civic staff, and public leaders understand and communicate their city or state budgets—so they can lead with transparency, accountability, and confidence.

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. Whether you serve a parish, work in a local school district, or volunteer on a city or borough council, 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Constant, high-stakes choices with incomplete or outdated information.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 identify the smartest next steps — from budgets and audits to long-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 institutions act with transparency and integrity — aligning boards, councils, and communities around shared priorities.

How we help.

Turning our approach into real-world results.

Strategic Workshops

Equip civic or religious leaders with tools to make smarter, values-driven decisions—on budgets, strategy, and systems.
Operational Reviews

Deep-dive assessments for parishes, schools, or municipalities to uncover inefficiencies, clarify data, and drive better oversight.
Workflow & Tech Advisory

From spreadsheets to cloud systems—we help institutions modernize their back office, securely and efficiently.
Leadership Advisory Blocks

On-call strategic support for pastors, school heads, and civic leaders navigating complex decisions in real time.

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.