Hilary has been based in Rarotonga, Cooks Islands since 2008. She specialises in applied research, monitoring and evaluation and development practice. Her work focuses on gender equality, social inclusion, social policy and social protection mainly in the Pacific region.
In the Cook Islands Hilary has worked for the New Zealand High Commission and for the Development Coordination Division of the Ministry of Finance and Economic Management. During 2017-to 2019, she was based in Suva, Fiji, working at the Pacific Women Support Unit under the Australian government’s Pacific Women Shaping Pacific Development program.
In 2020 she established Hilary Gorman Consulting and has undertaken a range of assignments for the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Cardno international Development, Cook Islands government, DAI Global, Development Pathways, New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade (MFAT) and UNDP. Her recent consulting work has included: assessment of social protection systems; gender and social analysis of COVID-19 response and recovery efforts; and monitoring, evaluation and learning in the disability sector.
Hilary works at the nexus of research and practice, by applying evidence to policy and
programming to support development initiatives that aim to reduce poverty and
inequality.