Brenda Hinau

About Brenda Hinau

I help executives and organizations focus on what matters most.As a Lead Executive Assistant with 20+ years of experience, I amplify the ability of leaders to achieve more by streamlining operations, building high-performing admin teams, and fostering connection across organizations.My career spans consulting, engineering, sustainability, energy, and education, and I thrive in demanding, fast-paced environments. Over the years, I’ve progressed from individual contributor roles to leading nationally dispersed teams, managing $1M+ budgets, and shaping organizational culture through communications, process improvement, and talent development.Signature Strengths:Strategic Support: Partnering with executives to align priorities, solve problems proactively, and keep initiatives moving forward.Team Leadership: Hiring, mentoring, and coaching admin teams; helping leaders maximize their partnership with assistants.Operational Excellence: Managing complex calendars, meetings, budgets, and facilities — all with a focus on efficiency and impact.Culture & Communication: Creating newsletters, organizing firmwide events, and leading initiatives that build engagement and belonging.Continuous Learning: Early adopter of tools and technology, integrating AI to enhance productivity and streamline workflows.I also co-founded the PDX Admin Network, where I connect administrative professionals, share resources, and mentor others in their career growth.If you’re looking to elevate the role of administrative professionals within your organization, or if you’re passionate about building strong admin partnerships, I’d love to connect.

Experience

1. Lead Executive Assistant

   Propeller

   Aug 2022 — Present · Portland, OR, US

   Strategic executive administrative partner supporting senior leaders across Operations, People Strategy, and formerly Brand and Marketing, providing organizational continuity, cross-functional alignment, and operational execution during periods of change.Partner with executives and leadership teams to align priorities, manage complexity, and advance strategic initiatives across the organization.Provide continuity and institutional knowledge through leadership transitions, ensuring consistency in decision making, communication cadence, and operational follow-through.Support People Strategy leadership on confidential, high-impact initiatives related to talent, organizational effectiveness, and firm operations.Drive improvements to the employee onboarding experience, strengthening cross-functional coordination, process clarity, and leader readiness.Enable effective executive communications, coordinating preparation and delivery for company-wide newsletters and all-firm meetings.Operate as a cross-functional connector, working up and down the organization to remove friction, anticipate needs, and keep work moving forward.Bring structure to ambiguity by translating incomplete information into actionable plans, surfacing risks early, and supporting timely decision making.Serve as a trusted thought partner and steady presence for leaders navigating change, competing priorities, and evolving business needs.

Education

• Portland State University - School of Business

  Project Management Certificate

  1997 — 1997

• Portland State University - School of Business

  Supervisory Certificate

  1999 — 1999

• Portland State University - School of Business

  Business Writing Certificate

  2008 — 2008

Skills

• Process Scheduler
• Microsoft Outlook
• Leadership
• Human Resources
• Budgeting
• Energy
• Customer Service
• Administrative Assistance
• Facilities Management
• Process Improvement
• Interviews
• Project Planning
• Public Speaking
• Administration
• Software Documentation
• Event Planning
• Budgets
• Team Building
• Management
• Training
• Sharepoint
• Internal Communications
• Contract Management
• Time Management
• Outlook
• Administrative Assistants
• Workshop Facilitation
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Microsoft Office
• Project Management