Helping your business take flight
Milkweed is more than a plant. It is a source of nourishment and transformation. Monarch butterflies rely on it to grow, thrive, and take flight. At Milkweed Consulting, I bring that same spirit to my work with clients. My role is to be your catalyst by providing the tools, insight, and steady support that help your business and your team flourish. Whether you are focused on strategic planning, operational improvement, or thoughtful technology leadership, I help you create the conditions for lasting success.
About
I’m Barbara Dusicka, founder of Milkweed Consulting. I’m a licensed Professional Engineer with more than twenty years of experience in leadership, engineering, technology, and internal operations. I spent most of my career at a single engineering consultancy, joining when it had just ten engineers and playing a key role in helping it scale into a nationwide firm of more than 250 employees, broadening its services well beyond engineering consulting to meet the needs of a growing and increasingly complex client base. As the organization grew, I worked hands-on to scale systems, strengthen culture, build operational foundations, and support leaders and teams through complexity and change. This experience gave me deep, firsthand insight into how organizations adapt as they grow and what enables them to thrive long term.
My most recent corporate role was Vice President of Technology and Internal Operations at Cascade Energy. In that position, I guided technology strategy, supported innovation, and helped the organization navigate major transitions. My background spans engineering, accounting, human resources, software development and cybersecurity compliance, which gives me a broad and practical understanding of how different parts of a business influence one another.
I bring a mix of strategic thinking, servant leadership, and technical experience to every engagement. I take the time to understand each client and the way their business truly works. My goal is to help leaders strengthen their teams, refine their operations, and feel confident in the way they show up for their organizations and communities.
Barbara Dusicka, PE
MILKWEED CONSULTING
Values
Integrity
I lead with honesty, respect, and accountability, prioritizing people and long‑term outcomes over shortcuts. My work is grounded in doing what’s right for the business and the people who support it, so organizations can build solutions they trust.
Shared Success
I believe that businesses thrive when everyone on the team is equipped to succeed. I share knowledge openly, create clarity where there is uncertainty, and build tools and systems that enable teams to grow with confidence and succeed together.
Expertise
My work is grounded in deep technical understanding and a holistic view of how people, processes, and systems interact. I focus not just on solving problems, but on delivering solutions that truly fit the organization, its goals, and its culture.
How Can We Help?
Business Analytics and Modeling
Gain a deeper, clearer understanding of your firm’s performance through disciplined analysis and engineering‑minded modeling. I help organizations turn operational data into meaningful insight through one‑time scenario analysis, forecasting, and performance diagnostics, and by building dashboards and reporting tools that support ongoing managerial and executive decision‑making. My approach blends technical rigor with practical clarity to guide smarter actions.
Strategic Consulting and Leadership Support
I work with leaders to bring structure, coherence, and confidence to strategic decisions. Drawing on both systems thinking and real‑world operational experience, I help clarify the connections between services, teams, and outcomes so that strategy becomes tangible rather than theoretical. I also support executives in refining communication styles and messaging so they can articulate direction in a way that is aligned, energizing, and grounded in purpose.
Compliance Program Design and Management
In today’s business environment, compliance must be robust, realistic, and integrated, not a box‑checking exercise. I bring hands‑on experience designing and managing programs across IT security (SOC 2), workplace safety (OSHA), and HR compliance (pay equity and demographic analytics). I create frameworks that fit how your business actually operates, ensuring your team can meet requirements confidently and sustainably.
Short-term Operational and Leadership Coverage
When your organization is facing a temporary staffing gap, continuity becomes essential. With experience spanning executive leadership and day‑to‑day operational roles, I can step in quickly to stabilize operations, maintain workflows, and support teams through transition. My role is to keep business moving smoothly while giving you the space and time to identify the right long‑term hire.