I Was Asked to Tell My Story. I’m Still Not Sure It Matters.
A former public servant reflects on job loss, financial instability, and the emotional tension of sharing her story with policymakers who may not have the power to act.
From international development to personal rebirth — navigating motherhood, loss, and identity, one step at a time.
One blog post at a time.
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● Latest Articles
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One and Done Wasn’t the Plan
Read more: One and Done Wasn’t the PlanA personal reflection on being one and done, navigating a remaining IVF embryo, solo motherhood, aging parents, and the realities of modern family planning after…
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When Stability Turns Out to Be Conditional
Read more: When Stability Turns Out to Be ConditionalThere’s a particular kind of disillusionment that comes from realizing that the “safe” choices weren’t actually safe. Public sector careers are often framed as the…
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Almost Forgetting My Dad’s Birthday
Read more: Almost Forgetting My Dad’s BirthdayI almost forgot my dad’s birthday this year. That sentence alone feels impossible to write. Grief has a way of making certain dates feel etched…
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Closing the Gap: Why the Future of Work Must Account for Caregiving
Read more: Closing the Gap: Why the Future of Work Must Account for CaregivingFinal piece in the series Work, Care, and the Missing Middle For too long, the structure of work has assumed something that is no longer…
● About Me
I am a displaced federal worker and the creator behind this blog.
For nearly two decades, I served at USAID, leading programs in global health and humanitarian response. Then life shifted — I became my father’s caregiver, lost him, and watched the career I had built be dismantled.
Now, I’m rebuilding from scratch. Bureaucrat to Baby Steps is where I share the messy, hopeful journey of loss, legacy, and motherhood — one small step at a time.
This space is less about polished advice and more about real stories of transition, caregiving, and becoming a mother on my own terms.
One and Done Wasn’t the Plan
A personal reflection on being one and done, navigating a remaining IVF embryo, solo motherhood, aging parents, and the realities of modern family planning after 40.
When Stability Turns Out to Be Conditional
There’s a particular kind of disillusionment that comes from realizing that the “safe” choices weren’t actually safe. Public sector careers are often framed as the steady alternative. Lower risk. Predictable. Secure. But that stability is conditional. It depends on political priorities, budget cycles, and decisions made far above your pay grade. And when those shift,…
Bureaucrat to Baby Steps 