Blog Article

Federal Spotlight: Ali Pourghassemi

Written by: Management Concepts

Federal Spotlight: Ali Pourghassemi icon

Ali Pourghassemi serves as a Human Capital Manager for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Here is our Federal Spotlight interview:

MC: How long have you been in Federal service?

Ali Pourghassemi: I have officially been a “Fed” since July 2012 so that puts me at a little over five years… time flies!

MC: What keeps you motivated and passionate to stay in the public sector?

AP: The people. The people who come to work daily and contribute 100%. The people who consistently seek ways to improve or eliminate unnecessary processes. The people who believe in collaboration. The people volunteer and are not “voluntold.” The people who think outside of the box. The people who are passionate about their agency’s mission and mentoring future leaders. The integrators. Those who realize we are truly public servants that collectively have a responsibility to the American people to fulfill our missions.

Connecting people who would have never met otherwise is essential. I am an integrator. That is my passion.

MC: What is one of your biggest achievements?

AP: Honestly, one of my biggest achievements was, and continues to be, connecting mentors and mentees—particularly during the 2015 cohort of the HHS Acquisition Mentoring Program.

As program manager, my responsibility is to pair individuals whom I feel would have a reciprocal learning relationship. Long story short: in this scenario a mentee did mock practice interviews with their mentor in preparation for a “big interview,” that GS-12 to GS-13 jump. The mentee reached out to me and advised me that he “got the job!” and directly attributed it to the mentor/mentee pairing he participated in.

This success story keeps me passionate and engaged in my current role as the Program Manager for the HHS Acquisition Strategic Leadership, Mentor and Talent Exchange Programs at HHS. I love to see other people WIN!

MC: What advice would you share with young people on entering government?

AP: This is a loaded question, right? No, my biggest advice is to never stop investing in yourself. What I mean by this is: volunteer, don’t be “voluntold.” Take training that is beneficial to your career. Do not be afraid to ask questions. Take risks. Most importantly, never compromise your integrity.

The government may seem large but everyone is connected. Build meaningful relationships and network, network, network.

My grandmother used to tell me you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar. Just be yourself.

Related Resources

See All
Blog Article

Enhancing Leadership Resilience for Improved Team Performance 

In today's fast-paced and ever-changing government environment, building resilience is essential for leaders.

Read More
Blog Article

A Federal Manager’s Guide To Pragmatic Leadership

The need for pragmatic leadership in federal agencies has never been more crucial in today's rapidly evolving world.

Read More
Blog Article

How to Identify and Adopt the Right Soft Skills for Professional Growth

In today’s dynamic and cutthroat work environment, soft skills are becoming increasingly important for professional growth, especially for federal employees.

Read More
Blog Article

Why Federal Employees Need to Focus Inward When Planning Their Professional Growth

Professional growth is a critical aspect of any career, and for federal employees, it often involves understanding complex systems, adhering to rigid protocols, and meeting the evolving needs of their agencies or departments in the public domain.

Read More
Blog Article

A Federal Employee's Quick Guide to Disaster Preparedness

Disaster preparedness(definition) is an essential aspect of public service, especially for federal employees who often find themselves on the front lines of disaster response and recovery efforts.

Read More
Blog Article

The Importance of Critical Thinking For Decision-Making

Decision-making is among the most crucial roles in federal employment.

Read More
Blog Article

From Feedback to Action: Building a Continuous Improvement Process for Training Programs

Staying ahead requires more than just knowledge and skills.

Read More
Blog Article

5 Self-Motivation Strategies for Federal Employees

Maintaining motivation is crucial for optimal performance and career growth in the high-stakes world of federal employment.

Read More
Blog Article

Importance of Oratory Skills For Federal Managers

Effective communication is crucial in federal management, where decisions impact entire departments and influence public trust.

Read More
Webinar

Preparing the Next Generation of Federal Leaders

Mastering essential leadership competencies is an urgent imperative for today's government professionals.

Watch

Scroll to view more

chat popup