Wil Durbin

Wil brings a broad perspective to his role as Director of Strategic Advisory, combining the grounding of his rural Ohio roots with urban and international experience navigating complex policy and funding arenas. He backs up strategic plans with rigorous research and has a proven record of guiding governments, educational institutions, nonprofits, and corporations through the ever-changing landscape of public funding, policy, and economic development.

As former Chief of Staff to the Mayor of Cambridge, Massachusetts—a city at the epicenter of biotech, higher education, and urban innovation—Wil learned firsthand how to negotiate public-private partnerships, design capital improvement plans, and author landmark legislation.
Staunchly pragmatic, Wil is known for transforming big ideas into actionable strategies. He has managed complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives at local, state, and international levels and consistently delivers clarity in environments where the stakes are high and the politics messy.

Wil is a graduate of Xavier University’s Philosophy, Politics, and the Public (PPP) program and holds a Master’s Degree in History from Boston College. When not strategizing or advising, he can be found working on his craftsman-style house or chauffeuring his three children to various activities in and around Shaker Heights.