Hilary Wallace

Background

About Hilary Wallace

Driven by curiosity, fueled by data, and inspired by people—I am passionate about the intersection of accounting, analytics, and organizational decision-making. With a foundation built at Ashland University and a new chapter beginning at the University of Kansas, I’m pursuing a career in research with the goal of advancing managerial accounting through data-driven, human-centered insight. This fall, I will begin my PhD in Accounting at the University of Kansas. My research interests lie in managerial accounting, particularly in understanding how organizations measure, manage, and make strategic decisions related to human capital. I’m especially drawn to questions surrounding managerial cost analysis, employee incentives, performance measurement, and the internal reporting structures that support decision-making. I seek to contribute to both academic scholarship and managerial practice by studying how data-driven approaches influence people-related decisions. I recently completed my Master of Science in Business Analytics at Ashland University, where I deepened my technical expertise in data analysis, visualization, predictive modeling, and optimization. As a graduate assistant in the College of Business & Economics, I supported faculty with research, guest lectured in various business courses, and led strategic data projects for the Dean’s Office—including performance dashboards and efficiency reports. I was also inducted into Beta Gamma Sigma, recognizing my academic excellence at the graduate level. This experience reinforced my desire to pursue a research-intensive career and gave me valuable insight into the inner workings of higher education. My academic journey began with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration, majoring in Accounting and minoring in Business Law. I graduated summa cum laude, was named Accounting Student of the Year, and was inducted into Delta Mu Delta. During my undergraduate years, I served as president of the IMA student chapter, led major student recruitment and retention events, and acted as a consistent peer mentor and campus leader. Returning to school later in life—while balancing family and work—taught me the value of perseverance, time management, and building supportive academic communities. I’m committed to producing research that deepens our understanding of how organizations account for their most valuable—and most complex—resource: people. Through this work, I aim to shape the conversation around human capital and decision-making in the evolving landscape of managerial accounting.