Celebrating 35 Years of FMP With Sherean Miller, Erin Pitera, and Jessica Milloy

What is your position/title and how long have you been with FMP? 

Sherean: I am the Managing Partner and Owner of FMP, and I’ve been with the firm since 2000—almost 26 years. It has been an incredible journey to grow alongside the organization and help shape who we are today, while holding onto many of the core values that were established back in 1991. 

Erin: Erin Pitera, CEO. 22 years in August.

Jessica: I’m currently FMP’s Chief Operating Officer and I’ve been with the company for just over 19 years. I started as a consultant and have worked across most of FMP service areas and with dozens of clients. I moved into the COO role about 8 years ago and have since overseen our internal infrastructure, while continuing to be involved in long-standing client projects here and there.  

Over FMP’s 35-year history, what achievements or milestones stand out to you as defining moments in our growth as a management consulting firm? 

Sherean: Several milestones stand out as defining moments in our evolution. Leadership transition and ownership changes were pivotal, requiring us to clarify our identity and long-term vision. Expanding into new federal agencies and diversifying our client base also marked significant growth. At various points, we faced uncertainty, including budget fluctuations, contract recompetes, shifting market conditions, and each of those moments pushed us to rethink, refine, and strengthen our strategy. In hindsight, those inflection points didn’t weaken us; they made us more focused, resilient, and intentional. 

In your view, what core strengths or consulting capabilities have most contributed to FMP’s success and reputation in the market? 

Sherean: Our dedication to our clients has always been our greatest differentiator. We are deeply committed not just to meeting expectations, but to truly delighting our clients. That mindset shapes how we approach every engagement. We combine strong technical expertise with the understanding that consulting is fundamentally about partnership, trust, responsiveness, and delivering meaningful, measurable impact. 

Erin: When I think about what has most contributed to FMP’s success, I always come back to our people. We are surrounded by genuinely curious, smart people who aren’t afraid of complex challenges. There’s a real energy at FMP in figuring things out, in taking on complex challenges, and in working together to make organizations better than they were before. We bring deep analytical capability, but we are equally grounded in practicality, so we sit in that sweet spot between sophisticated analysis and real-world solutions. Most importantly, we care about outcomes, about impact, and about leaving things better than we found them. This combination of curiosity, rigor, partnership, and genuine commitment is what has shaped our reputation as trusted advisors and one of the defining reasons our clients trust us and continue to come back. 

Jessica: Two of the characteristics that I think set us apart from other consulting firms are flexibility and agility. We work very closely with our clients to anticipate and understand their needs and challenges. We understand that organizations are constantly evolving and, to be a good partner, we also need to be able to flex and adapt our support. Sometimes this is as simple as adjusting a project plan or changing a timeline, but other times it can be much more complex- bringing additional expertise or capabilities to solve a different challenge mid-course. We work very hard to create relationships where our clients trust us and part of building that trust listening and being responsive to what they need, now and in the future. As any organization grows, it can be challenging to stay agile and flexible- bureaucracy has a way of sneaking up on you when you’re focusing on building thoughtful policies and processes. While we’ve needed to add necessary structure around FMP’s processes, we try not to let those changes come at the expense of being responsive to our clients. This can be challenging to navigate at times, particularly as we’ve grown, but we’ve stayed focused on our clients needs and retained the flexibility and agility they want from a strong partner. 

How has FMP expanded or evolved its services and offerings over the years to meet the changing needs of our clients across sectors? 

Sherean: As our clients’ needs have evolved, so have we. FMP has expanded beyond traditional human capital consulting into complementary domains such as data science, strategic communications, and eLearning. These capabilities allow us to provide more integrated, forward-looking solutions. Today’s challenges are increasingly complex and interconnected, and we’ve been intentional about building services that address both the analytical and human dimensions of organizational performance. 

What makes FMP uniquely positioned to support clients across different sectors, including federal, nonprofit, and private organizations, and how has that breadth shaped our identity? 

Sherean: What uniquely positions FMP is our ability to translate best practices across sectors while remaining sensitive to each organization’s mission, culture, and constraints. Our federal experience gives us deep insight into complex regulatory and stakeholder environments. Our work with nonprofit and private organizations sharpens our agility, innovation, and customer focus. 

That breadth has shaped our identity as a firm that is both mission-driven and performance-oriented; we are able to operate in structured, high-accountability environments while still bringing creativity and strategic flexibility to the table. 

Jessica: While we’ve been federally focused since the founding of FMP, we always worked with a variety of different organizations and across industries. Some of this comes very naturally based on our reputation and referrals- our clients and partners move around in their careers and they continue to want to work with us, wherever and in whatever industry they land. We also very much understand what it means to work with mission-driven organizations, whether that is state, local, or federal government agencies or non-profits and associations. The motivators for employees can be remarkably similar across those industries and, in many cases, those organizations are all tasked with doing more for less, so there are a lot of shared challenges and environmental constraints. While we’re very mission-driven, we are also a business and we likewise understand the drivers of performance that our private sector clients need to be successful. And while many of the best practices in human capital, management, and technology are true for any organization, regardless of industry, we hire people with diverse backgrounds who have experience and understand the important differences between clients and industries and the best ways to support each. I think working with a wide range of clients has created more depth and flexibility, making us a stronger partner for any client. I also think it helps grow and develop our workforce- having a range of client experiences creates really strong consultants and it keeps our work fresh, which was something that was critical to my engagement and the energy I brought to my clients. 

As you look ahead, what opportunities or priorities do you see defining the next chapter of FMP’s journey? 

Sherean: Looking ahead, I see significant opportunity in further integrating advanced analytics and technology-enabled solutions with our human capital and organizational expertise. Organizations are navigating rapid workforce transformation, increasing demands for measurable outcomes, and ongoing uncertainty. Our priority will be staying ahead of those trends while preserving the culture, integrity, and client-centered values that have defined FMP for 35 years. 

Erin: When I look ahead, I see a lot of exciting opportunity for FMP. The accelerating pace of change we’re experiencing, particularly with the impact of AI is reshaping how organizations operate, make decisions, and manage talent. But navigating complexity has always been part of who we are. We are highly adaptable, comfortable in uncertainty, and grounded in evidence-based thinking that helps clients move forward with confidence. Our strength sits at the intersection of people, data, and practical solutions, which positions us well as organizations rethink how work gets done and what skills matter most. As the pace of change continues to accelerate, the need for thoughtful, analytical analysis, and a human perspective will only grow, and that’s where FMP has always done its best work.

What’s one memory, project, or experience at FMP that has stayed with you over the years? 

Sherean: What has stayed with me most are the periods of uncertainty—the times when we were navigating factors completely outside of our control. Federal budget shifts, unexpected contract losses, economic downturns, and broader market disruptions tested us. 

What stands out is not the uncertainty itself, but how we responded. Each time, we regrouped, refocused, and chose to move forward with clarity and purpose rather than fear. Those chapters strengthened us. They reinforced our resilience and reminded us that while we cannot control every external force, we can control how we lead, how we serve our clients, and how we support one another. In many ways, those uncertain moments helped define who we are today. 

As their reflections make clear, FMP’s longevity is the result of intentional leadership, a culture rooted in partnership and trust, and a commitment to evolving alongside our clients’ most pressing challenges. Whether navigating moments of uncertainty, expanding into new capabilities, or adapting to rapid shifts in how organizations work, Sherean, Erin, and Jessica illustrate the steadiness and agility that define FMP’s approach. Their perspectives remind us that while the landscape will continue to change, the values that have carried FMP through 35 years, like resilience, curiosity, flexibility, and client‑focused excellence, will continue to guide our path forward.

Jessica Milloy is the Chief Operating Officer of FMP, LLC. Jess is from Alexandria, Virginia and enjoys traveling, cooking, and time spent with family and friends.

Sarah Tucker is a Senior Consultant at FMP LLC, helping organizations diagnose and solve work-related challenges. She earned an M.A. in Industrial/Organizational Psychology from Middle Tennessee State University. Sarah has worked with organizations to improve their effectiveness in multiple capacities for five + years. She is passionate about improving work-life and making a lasting impact on the human capital environment.