Desiare Marius: Centered on Serving Others

Reflecting on the 20-plus years she’s spent in the workforce so far, Desiare Marius says that her career “has always been centered on serving others.”

Her public sector resume says as much.

Marius, a training coordinator with the City of Houston since December 2023, is in her fifth year with the City. And, she is actually in her second stint in that role. Marius joined the City as a training coordinator in May 2021, working in that capacity until August 2022, when she transitioned into a staff analyst role.

Marius previously spent five years with Houston’s Metropolitan Transit Authority of Harris County, first as a training specialist and then as a safety program coordinator.

Her roots in service, however, go even deeper.

“Right out of high school, I worked as an emergency medical technician in Sacramento, Calif., before transitioning into customer service,” says Marius, who has since earned a bachelor’s degree in communications from the University of Phoenix.

She worked in customer service with Chase Bank after moving to Houston from California in 2003, eventually earning a promotion to customer service peer coach.

Five years later, a business trip to the Philippines altered her professional course forever.

“In 2008, I was selected to travel to Manila to help transition a Washington Mutual call center into Chase,” she says.

“During that assignment, I was unexpectedly asked to step into a classroom training role, where I facilitated eight three-week new hire classes. That experience sparked my passion for adult learning and completely changed the direction of my career.”

In the 15-plus years since, Marius has built a career in learning and development that spans the private sector, transportation and municipal government.

In her training coordinator position with the City of Houston, “I have the privilege of developing leaders, strengthening employee capabilities and helping public servants better serve our community,” she says.

“Public sector HR has allowed me to combine my passion for learning, leadership and service into meaningful work that creates lasting organizational impact.”

Marius joined PSHRA as a member in August 2019, wanting to connect with other HR professionals facing similar challenges.

“As I transitioned into municipal government, I recognized the value of learning from experienced HR leaders while contributing my own background in learning and development.”

Her membership has helped her plug into a community of professionals “who are committed to strengthening public service through innovation, leadership and employee development,” says Marius, who served on PSHRA’s Publications Committee in 2025.

“Becoming PSHRA-CP certified and serving on national committees has allowed me to expand my knowledge, build meaningful professional relationships and contribute to advancing the profession beyond my own organization.”

Outside of her government work, Marius is also building her own consulting firm, D&D Creative Consulting, where she hopes to help government agencies, nonprofits and other organizations strengthen leadership, learning and workforce development.

Her ultimate goal, however, is to continue advancing learning and development within public sector HR while helping organizations prepare their workforce for the future, she says.

“I aspire to lead enterprise-wide learning strategies, mentor emerging training professionals and develop innovative leadership programs that improve employee performance and organizational effectiveness.”

Marius also plans to continue pursuing professional certifications, expanding her work as a speaker and consultant, and sharing best practices with HR professionals across the country.

“I believe the future of public sector HR lies in developing resilient leaders, embracing technology responsibly and creating learning cultures where employees can thrive while serving their communities.”