Lia Douglass: Drawn to Making a Difference

For Lia Douglass, public service is a family tradition.

“Both of my parents worked in the public sector and are now retired. And both of my sisters work in the public sector as well,” says Douglass, the director of human resources and risk management for the Vallejo Flood & Wastewater District in Vallejo, Calif.

Douglass has been in her current role for just over a year. But her own public service roots run much deeper. She’s worked in California’s public sector for nearly 10 years, including stints as a human resources manager with the City of Pacifica, Calif., and a human resources analyst with the City of Modesto.

“Before that and in between public agencies,” she says, “I worked for non-profit organizations, so service-oriented work has always been an important part of my career.”

Naturally, seeing her parents’ commitment to their communities helped steer Douglass toward public service.

“I grew up watching my mom dedicate herself to serving her community and volunteering her time to causes that matter to her,” says Douglass, whose mother worked in the wastewater industry, as does one of her sisters.

In fact, Douglass’ mother worked at the City of Modesto as their Laboratory Supervisor, retiring in 2007.

Visiting her at work, seeing her in action and getting to know her mom’s colleagues “had a tremendous impact on me” and greatly influenced her eventual career choices, she says now.

“I’ve always been drawn to helping people and making a positive difference in my community,” says Douglass, who holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from California State University, and a graduate certificate in HR management from Portland State University.

“Since we spend so much of our lives at work, I wanted to build a career that aligned with those values, and public service has given me the opportunity to do exactly that.”

A PSHRA member since 2019, Douglass joined the organization in search of other public sector HR leaders with similar ideals. She’s found that and more.

“I originally joined to connect with other public sector HR professionals,” she says, “and the organization has helped me build strong connections and benchmark practices and initiatives.”