Meet the Member: Colleen Martin – Positive About a Career in Public Service

Colleen Martin’s decision to become a public servant was an easy one.

In a recent conversation with Public Eye, the director of human resources and risk management with the City of Angleton, Texas, discussed her civilian experience with the U.S. military, the family ties that set her down the path to a 20-plus year career in the public sector, and the challenges that she and her Angleton HR team are tackling in 2025.

Public Eye: You’re currently the director of HR and risk management for the City of Angleton, Texas, and you’ve served in HR roles with other public sector entities in Pearland and Houston, Texas, for example. How did you get there; did you always know that you wanted to work in public service, or did public service “find you,” so to speak?

Martin: I have worked in the public sector for more than 16 years, including cities and school districts, and in private sector HR for about four-plus years. Overall, it’s been more than 20 years.

In my younger days, I worked as a civilian for the U.S. Army and U.S. Air Force. After working for the federal government, I worked for the State of Texas, and knew I wanted to be a public servant.

After some work in the private sector, I transitioned back to the public sector. My positive outlook on public service comes from my father, who spent much of his career working for the military and federal government.

After joining the City of Angleton as a startup HR department, I knew I was in the right career.

The public sector has been wonderful. I have met a lot of wonderful, hardworking people, and my role offers great opportunities to glean knowledge from the community and the public in general, and allows me to give back to the communities as well.

Public Eye: In addition to being the City of Angleton’s director of HR, you’re also the director of risk management. How would you describe your role, and how do those two functions intersect in your organization?

Martin: My role started out tough. It was a startup HR department, and there was a lot of management change.

My current role is to advocate for both the organization and the employee. Many people think HR simply hires and fires, but there is much more to HR. I am a trainer, compliance officer, recruiter, compensation and benefits manager, coach, time and payroll keeper, event organizer, risk manager and more.

In my position, I work closely with our safety officer to ensure risk is mitigated and safety issues are addressed, which has kept our losses down significantly. I ensure my department’s fiscal responsibility and work closely with finance as well as the city manager.

HR and risk management intersect and protect the organization, its employees and its reputation. Together, they ensure compliance, manage people-related risks, and foster a safe and productive workplace. During my time at Angleton, I’ve rolled out a mobile mammogram program. As a result of health risk mitigation, one of our employees told me I saved her life.

Public Eye: A new year is upon us. What’s top of mind for you and your HR team heading into 2025; what are your priorities for the year ahead and why?

Martin: Retention is a priority, particularly for hard-to-fill positions. As a small to mid-size city, we are like many organizations competing for employees. Developing training and adding to our onboarding program are also goals for 2025.

My personal goal is to expand my education in compensation. Many organizations fail to cover this area at their conferences, so expanding my knowledge in this area is my 2025 goal.

Public Eye: On a more personal note, what keeps you busy away from the office?

Martin: That is an easy one. I have five- and two-year-old grandsons. They are such a joy to spend time with, and I also like to travel with my recently retired husband and spend time with my adult daughters.