On July 31, 2025, Hagerty Consulting hosted a virtual information session designed for emergency management professionals exploring a move from public service into consulting. With hurricane season underway and the federal employment landscape evolving, the demand for skilled emergency managers continues to grow. This session aimed to provide valuable insights on how public sector expertise can translate into meaningful consulting careers—supporting communities before, during, and after disasters.
Key Takeaways
Our panel—featuring Hagerty leaders Lee Mayfield, Danielle Holmstrom, and Tanya Shannon—shared personal reflections on their own career transitions into consulting and highlighted how their time in local, state, and federal government continues to inform their work today. We were also joined by Chris Munden, Hagerty’s Senior Manager of Talent Acquisition, who provided practical consulting career entry guidance, including resume and interview tips.
The conversation explored several key themes:
- What Consulting Really Looks Like: Consulting is collaborative problem-solving. It means partnering with clients to identify challenges, develop solutions, and drive meaningful improvements—not simply auditing or compliance.
- Leveraging Public Sector Experience for Success: Individuals with public sector backgrounds bring operational insight, mission-driven focus, and real-world emergency management experience—qualities consulting firms highly value. Traits such as strategic problem-solving, project management, stakeholder collaboration, and policy interpretation directly translate to consulting roles.
- What Makes Hagerty Different: We offered a closer look at Hagerty’s mission-driven approach, collaborative culture, and commitment to excellence. Panelists also shared tips on navigating the application process, preparing a consulting-aligned resume, and standing out during interviews.
Addressing Your Questions
Thank you to everyone who joined us and contributed thoughtful questions throughout the session. While we were unable to answer every question in real time, our team has compiled responses to several of the most common ones submitted by attendees:
- What technology should I become familiar with to build my skillset? What is used in most Emergency Operations Centers (EOCs)?
Common platforms include WebEOC, Microsoft Teams, and Microsoft Excel. Familiarity with emergency planning software, dashboards, and federal grant management systems like the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Grants Portal is also beneficial. - Any career transition tips for moving from military service to consulting?
Highlight your leadership, operational planning, and incident response experience. Certifications like FEMA Incident Command System (ICS)/National Incident Management System (NIMS), along with a clear narrative connecting your service to emergency management, can help bridge the transition. Hagerty values veterans and the unique perspective they bring to disaster work. - Is entering into the Cadre with Hagerty a good pathway to longer-term assignments?
Absolutely. Many consultants begin their Hagerty journey in our Cadre, supporting short-term or surge assignments. It is a great way to get started, gain exposure to our work, and potentially transition into a longer-term or full-time role. You can explore current Cadre opportunities by visiting our Careers page. - Is Hagerty open to hiring individuals without public-sector or government experience?
Yes. While many roles benefit from public-sector knowledge, we also value experience in nonprofit organizations, private industry, and other mission-driven work. Our team is made stronger by a wide range of perspectives and professional backgrounds.
Stay Connected
If you are ready to explore career opportunities with Hagerty, visit our Careers page or reach out to our recruiting team directly here. Thank you again to everyone who joined us! We look forward to staying connected as you explore the next chapter in your emergency management career.