Kathy Graham is the CEO and Founder of The HQ Companies, Inc.
Human Capital Solutions for Board Growth, Career Growth, and Corporate Growth.

Kathy Graham is an expert in human capital—the economic value of individuals, groups, or workforces that contributes to organizational success. Renowned for her accurate forecasts of employment and labor market trends, as well as innovative human capital solutions, she consults with board directors, executives, and corporations ($50M to trillions in annual revenues) to create and drive strategic, profitable decisions. She is always confidential, collaborative, and utilizes evidence-based research in her customized human capital solutions.

Global Focus

Corporate and Board Governance: Culture Change, Strategic Repositioning, Human Capital and Economic Risk Trends

Corporate and Human Capital Conflict Resolution

Earnings Capacity, Imputed Income, Imputed Economic Loss

Human Capital Expert Witness—Qualified in a Federal Court, 2024

Labor Market Economics and Trends

Organizational and Job Role Design/Transformation

Talent: Acquisition, Assessment, Compensation, Development, Engagement, Retention

Transferable Skills Analysis, Including Positioning, Communication, and Marketing

Forecasts

Graham has a proven track record of accurate labor market forecasts, addressing key economic challenges:

2025: In econVue, “Top 3 Predictions—The AI Explosion” published: one week later DeepSeek AI news surfaced

2023: Low labor productivity, rising costs and risks

2017: AI’s evolving impact on employment

2014: Women on corporate boards shifts and implications

2013: Emerging social media’s privacy and communication impacts

2008: The Great Financial Crisis (GFC)

2004: Onset of globalization and outsourcing

Background

CEO, The HQ Companies, Inc., specializing in human capital solutions (2004—Present)

Board Director, School of Business & Entrepreneurship Advisory Board, North Central College, with governance and organization design advice responsibilities (2024—Present)

Board Director, Chicago Finance Exchange (2018—Present)

Member, National Association Of Corporate Directors (NACD) (2020—Present)

Member, National Association For Business Economics (NABE) (2002—2015; 2024—Present)

Academic

Harvard University: Master of Industrial-Organizational (I-O) Psychology—in process, courses to date:
Industrial-Organizational Psychology; Organizational Behavior; Negotiation and Organizational Conflict Resolution

University Of Chicago Booth Business: MBA, Analytic Finance, Econometrics, Finance, and Statistics

North Central College: BA, Business Administration, Marketing

Speaking and Writing

2025: Contributing Author, econVue, global consortium of economic, geopolitical experts; top Substack thought leader

2023: Co-Author, featured article, “Lessening Reputational Risk,” NACD’s Directorship for Boardroom Intelligence

2022: “The Future of the CPO,” Keynote Speaker, Procurement Foundry’s Annual Conference

2021: “Your Corporate Board Director Journey,” Keynote Speaker, North Carolina AICPA Conference

2020: “Rebranding the CFO,” Keynote Speaker, AICPA/CIMA Global Virtual Conference

2009—2014: “Career Strategies for You [post GFC],” Keynote Speaker, CFA NYC and Boston; Northwestern University

2009: “Safe Sailing in Stormy Weather,” Speaker, The Federal Reserve Bank Of Chicago’s Private Equity conference

2005, 2008: “Executive Compensation,” Speaker, Harvard Club NYC Financial Research Associates annual conference

2004: “Infrastructures and Compensation,” Speaker, Managed Futures Association national conference