Name:
Hilary Smith Kapner
AIPAC Role:
Member of AIPAC's Board of Directors
Professional Profile/Associations:
AIPAC national board member and President and CEO of HSK Consulting, a Bethesda-based firm advising nonprofits on fundraising strategies and board development. Former Chair of AIPAC's Washington Executive Board (2005–2010) before rising to the national board of directors. Previously served as Executive Director of Development at Georgetown University (1990–2000) and began her career as a fundraiser at United Jewish Appeal in New York City, where UJA sponsored her master's in social work at Yeshiva University. Her early connection to Israel came through a Federation scholarship at age 17 for a six-week trip, followed by junior year abroad at Tel Aviv University. In August 2023, she accompanied 24 House Democrats led by Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries and Rep. Steny Hoyer to Israel, where they met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Isaac Herzog. Organized a "Washington Area Pro-Israel Reception" for Senator Lindsey Graham's re-election in February 2014, serving as the RSVP contact and donation collector. Member of Congregation Beth El of Montgomery County; participated in the March for Israel rally in Washington, D.C. in November 2023.
Accountability:
As a member of AIPAC's Board of Directors, Hilary Smith Kapner bears individual legal responsibility for the organization's conduct. Under U.S. nonprofit law, board members hold fiduciary duties to ensure organizational compliance with applicable legal standards, implement oversight systems for core activities, and respond to credible information about organizational wrongdoing. In Stern v. Lucy Webb Hayes (1974), the federal district court held that nonprofit directors who fail to supervise organizational decisions breach their fiduciary obligations. In In re Lemington Home for the Aged (3d Cir. 2015), the Third Circuit upheld $2.25 million in damages against nonprofit directors who ignored red flags and failed to exercise reasonable oversight. The information in these profiles is drawn primarily from AIPAC's most recent IRS Form 990, supplemented by publicly available sources including news reports, official announcements, and public records. As a 501(c)(4) social welfare organization, AIPAC is legally required to file Form 990 annually with the Internal Revenue Service, and these filings are public documents.
However, IRS regulations allow organizations up to eleven months after their fiscal year ends to submit these forms, meaning publicly available data typically lags by approximately one year. This inherent delay underscores why AIPAC—like most major organizations of its size and influence—should maintain a current, public-facing leadership page identifying its board members and senior executives. The absence of such transparency from AIPAC necessitates this project. We are committed to accuracy and will update these profiles as new information becomes available. If you have corrections, updates, or additional sourced information, please contact us at advocacy@dawnmena.org.
