WOMEN IN TECH BLOG SERIES
REINVENTING AFTER FEDERAL SERVICE
Written By: Annabel Lombard, HR Director, Vertosoft
Annabel Lombard serves as HR Director at Vertosoft LLC, leading strategic workforce initiatives, HR technology modernization, and organizational design. Prior to joining Vertosoft, she spent 15 years in federal service, including leading workforce transformation efforts within GSA’s Technology Transformation Services (TTS). Annabel specializes in building resilient, people-centered systems that enable growth, performance, and innovation. She is passionate about empowering teams and advancing women in technology leadership.
After 15 years in federal service, most recently leading workforce transformation within Technology Transformation Services (TTS) at GSA, I didn’t expect my move to industry to happen when it did.
A restructuring brought that chapter to a close sooner than I ever anticipated. It was abrupt, and if I’m being honest, it forced me to pause. When you’ve poured over a decade into building something meaningful, it’s not easy to step away from it.
But once the initial shock settled, something else happened: clarity. It made me ask a question I think a lot of high-achieving women quietly avoid: If everything changed tomorrow, how adaptable am I really?
In government, leading workforce transformation meant navigating ambiguity daily. It meant aligning very different stakeholders, building systems that could withstand complexity, and staying focused on people even when priorities shifted. I didn’t realize it at the time, but those experiences built exactly the muscles I would need in tech: adaptability, systems thinking, and people-centered leadership.
The pace is different now; it’s much faster. Everything is more immediate. Expectations are high, but resilience carries over. Change is constant; strategy must be intentional. No matter the environment, people are still at the center of it all.
Joining Vertosoft has been energizing in a way I didn’t expect. I’ve been able to take everything I learned in public service and apply it in a new setting: building HR systems that support growth, accountability, and innovation. What initially felt like a disruption has turned into one of the most fulfilling chapters of my career.
If you’re navigating uncertainty, especially in a season you didn’t choose, here’s what I’ve learned: resilience isn’t just about pushing through. It’s about evolving. Sometimes the pivot you didn’t plan for becomes the moment that expands you the most.