Ask Me Anything: Industry Conversations for Government Professionals Exploring What's Next

A monthly series for people who want to learn what roles might fit

One of the hardest parts of leaving government is figuring out what comes next. Private-sector industries can feel opaque, and job titles rarely tell you what the work actually looks like. This series helps pull back the curtain. Each month, I bring in a guest from a specific industry or role to answer real questions about the work, who it suits, how to break in, and the tradeoffs. And occasionally, these conversations have even led to networking opportunities and interviews!

Next Session: From Government to Nonprofits: Breaking Into Program and Partnership Roles with Chelsea Ridenour

Tuesday, December 8 at 7:00pm ET / 4:00pm PT

Chelsea Ridenour is a mission-driven program leader with 14+ years of experience building and scaling high-impact programs across the nonprofit, association, and higher education sectors. She specializes in program strategy, learning and professional development, partnership development, and stakeholder engagement, with experience leading initiatives for diverse U.S. and global audiences.

Register for the AMA

This is a FREE, live, virtual, practical session.

We use Chatham House Rules, so we don’t record the sessions. If you’d like a summary from the session, please check out the Resources page or email robyn@rjleadershipcoaching.com

Curious About Past Sessions?

I’ve created resources from some of our past sessions in case you were unable to attend:

  • Insider Risk Field Guide: Insights from Rachel Kang → Recap coming soon

  • From Government Leadership to Big Tech TPM: Insights from Ian Brelinsky → Read the recap

  • Philanthropy and Foundations Field Guide: Insights from Heather Haines → Read the recap

  • Privacy in Tech Field Guide: Insights from Joyce Chen → Read the recap

  • Tech Policy Field Guide: Insights from Chelsea Magnant → Read the recap

  • Corporate Security Field Guide: Insights from Erin Thomas → Read the recap

  • Navigating the Boutique Consulting Pivot: A Perspective from the Inside → Read the recap

  • Demystifying Trust & Safety Roles → Read the recap

How the Sessions Work

Each AMA is built around a single topic: an industry, a function, or a type of role, and features a guest with direct experience in that space. I facilitate the conversation and start with those you submit when you register, then we open it up to the group.

Logistics:

  • Live, virtual session via Zoom

  • Approximately 60 minutes

  • No cost to attend

  • Registration is per session; each AMA has its own sign-up link

  • No recordings to keep the sessions comfortable for attendees - if you’d like a readout afterwards, contact robyn@rjleadershipcoaching.com

Have a topic you’d like to see covered?

Part of what makes this series useful is that it's shaped by the people who attend. If there's an industry, role type, or question you'd like to see explored in a future AMA, I'd love to hear about it.

Looking for more structured support?

The AMA series is designed to help you expand your sense of what's possible. If you're ready to start making decisions about your own path, you may also be interested in: