Derrick Bransby · Builder & Strategist · HBS PhD

Connecting how
work is designed with
how it gets done.

I help organizations build the systems, teams, and capabilities to perform under pressure. My background spans engineering, consulting, and organizational research, with a consistent focus on closing the gap between strategy and execution.

Engineer. Consultant. Reseacher.

I started my career as an engineer, trained to solve problems as engineers do: using systems, data, and process. As a consultant, I led dozens of engagements focused on improving performance — retooling systems, rethinking operations, and partnering with executives to deliver change. Over eight years, I built new lines of revenue, managed teams, and learned to move between the boardroom and the front line.

But time and time again, implementation fell flat. The strategy was clear. The design was sound. The excitement was real. But somewhere between idea and outcome, projects stalled. The gap was rarely technical. It was human. I decided that I wanted to understand why well enough to do something about it, which led me to Harvard.

At HBS, I study how teams perform under pressure, exploring the human and organizational dynamics that shape whether they succeed or fall short. I do this work in the field, embedded in and alongside the teams and organizations I sutudy, producing insights that are grounded in practice.

Now, I'm looking to bring my experience and insight back into industry — into roles where I can build and scale new functions, work closely with leadership on high-priority initiatives, and be held accountablefor outcomes, not just analysis.

Derrick Bransby Derrick Bransby fieldwork Derrick Bransby
Harvard GSAS profile of Derrick Bransby
Featured Harvard GSAS
The Show Must Go On. But How?

From Lancaster, Pennsylvania to Harvard to the world's biggest concert stages — a profile on Derrick's path and the question driving his research: what makes elite teams perform under pressure?

Read the Profile →

A career built in the field.

2021 – Present
Harvard Business School
PhD Candidate & Researcher

I designed and led a multi-year field research program focused on how teams solve complex problems, manage innovation, and take, make and experience risk while breaking ground in new territory. My work appears in top academic journals and popular outlets like HBR.

Organizational Behavior Team Dynamics Field Research Creative Work
2019 – 2021
St. Onge Company
Senior Manager / Engineer, Operations Planning & Strategy

I led client engagements focused on health care facility design, performance improvement, and organizational change. I led a team of engineers across a portfolio of concurrent projects and partnered closely with executives and frontline staff to transform operations.

Operations Process Improvement Facility Design Project Management
2013 – 2015
Booz Allen Hamilton
Senior Consultant

I produced analyses and executive briefings for U.S. Government clients, synthesizing complex data into decision-ready insights for senior officials. I also developed advanced analytical tools to identify emerging risks for financial-sector clients.

Advanced Analytics Executive Communications Research Government
Education
PhD, Health Policy Management · Harvard Business School 2021 – 2026
MBA · Johns Hopkins Carey Business School 2016 – 2019
BS, Industrial Engineering · University of Pittsburgh 2009 – 2013
Board Service
Pennsylvania Dutch Council, Scouting America · Board of Directors 2021 – Present
Friends of Camp Mack · Co-founder, Treasurer & Board Member 2021 – Present
Recognition
Eagle Scout, Distinguished Service Award (DSA) · Scouting America

How teams perform under pressure.

Every organization has a strategy. Far fewer have a grasp of the organizational dynamics required to execute it. My research focuses on this gap — what it takes for individuals and teams to perform, adapt, and deliver under pressure. The goal is practical insights that travel from the field into practice.

I am a Research Affiliate at the Johns Hopkins Center for Innovation Leadership.

Let's talk.

I'm currently open to conversations about strategy and operations roles, advisory work, and research collaboration. If something here resonates — or if you'd simply like to connect — I'd love to hear from you.