We’ve Pivoted: State and Local Government (Part 2!)
On February 11, 2026, Han Kang (City of San José in California), Mai Yer Xiong (Metro Transit, an operating division of the Metropolitan Council in Minnesota), Devin Olmack (Atlanta Beltline in Georgia), and Sara Miner (Fairfax County Government in Virginia) shared their experiences bridging the gaps between their former roles in the federal government and their current roles at the state and local levels. Emily Crane Linn (Georgetown SFS) moderated this discussion, with Steve Radelet (Georgetown SFS) also providing additional commentary.
This session was the twelfth in our Pivot to New Career Paths seminar series, and the second event focused on pivoting to roles in state and local government. (If you have yet to watch the first event on this topic, we highly recommend that you do so!). These seminars are designed to offer attendees the opportunity to hear from colleagues who have already made these important career transitions and glean how to best embark on these changes themselves.
The profound and unprecedented shifts our industry experienced over a year ago are still with us. Thousands have lost employment, and the job market remains in flux. Yet, As the dust continues to settle, former development professionals are increasingly securing roles that allow them to serve purposefully, meaningfully, and creatively in state and local governments.
The panelists for this event shared their experiences, tips, and tricks with the Pivot with Purpose community. In doing so, they proved that we can still impact lives beyond traditional development pathways.
As with every panel, our speakers reiterated to all participants that we have the skills, background, and knowledge needed to thrive in a variety of roles, including state and local government. Whether you managed grants, advised governing bodies, or undertook a variety of administrative roles, state and local governments continue to clamor for professionals with our collective backgrounds.
Indeed, the same skills and activities we took on in various capacities across the development sector (e.g., economics, monitoring and evaluation, and policy analysis) are all highly relevant in the state and local government sector.
While the panelists acknowledged that much of this work is easier said than done, they implored us to keep pushing and to continue our efforts to upskill, network, and find new opportunities.
New opportunities exist, and we are ready and able to seize them!
Other Previous Sessions
Please feel free to browse our other previous sessions to access summaries, video content, and more information about our other events!