UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Learn how saying “yes” and maximizing opportunities can transform your career and discover practical ways to leverage leadership development activities to their fullest potential at the next Penn State Alumni Expert Series webinar from 7-8 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 29. Registration is open now.
Presented by Penn State’s Alumni Career Services, the Alumni Expert Series shares career insights and advice from Penn State alumni each month, supporting the unit’s mission to help Penn Staters of all ages and experience pursue a lifetime of career success. This month's speaker, alumnus Nathan Sanfilippo, will discuss "Leading with Purpose: Strategies for Impactful Leadership."
Sanfilippo's session will detail actionable strategies to lead with purpose and authenticity, using insights into the strategic decisions that shaped a leadership path focused on mission, vision and values. He will reflect on key lessons such as the importance of community, proactive change, impactful communication, continuous learning, and balancing work with life.
Sanfilippo was appointed as principal deputy assistant secretary of the Office of Enterprise Integration at the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) in May 2024. He is the principal career executive adviser to key VA officials responsible for driving unity of effort across the department in support of veterans, specifically including the areas of enterprise governance; strategic planning; risk management; performance management; data governance and analytics; program integration; and coordination between the VA and the Department of Defense.
Sanfilippo, who earned his bachelor's degree in materials science and engineering from Penn State, served as executive director of multi-channel technology in the Veterans Experience Office from September 2021 to May 2024. He led a team responsible for delivering world-class customer-centric experiences by designing enterprise technology and data strategies and connecting the veteran community to the VA.
Prior to joining the VA, Nathan served for 19 years at the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission. As an expert in nuclear regulatory policy, licensing and inspection, he held numerous leadership roles involving oversight of the nation’s nuclear power plant inspection program; rulemaking for advanced nuclear reactors; and implementation of U.S. nuclear power plant enhancements based on lessons learned from the 2011 Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan.
In 2018, Sanfilippo completed a yearlong White House Leadership Development Program fellowship at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), where he led government-wide customer experience initiatives. He was the architect of the “Improving Customer Experience with Federal Services” Cross-Agency Priority Goal and co-authored the original government-wide customer-experience guidance in OMB Circular A-11.
Sanfilippo is a graduate of OMB’s Senior Executive Service Candidate Development Program and has been recognized with 27 government awards, as well as the Service to the Citizen Award in 2019.
In addition to his bachelor's degree, Sanfilippo earned a certificate in executive leadership from American University in Washington, D.C.; a master's degree in public affairs from the University of Missouri; and a certificate in legislative studies from the Government Affairs Institute at Georgetown University.
Penn State Alumni Career Services helps graduates of all ages pursue a success by mapping out a career path, finding a new job, planning a next step, or connecting to the powerful Penn State network. They provide alumni with objective guidance and feedback, career education, and a variety of programs to hone their job-seeking skills. Penn State Alumni Association members have access to additional offerings, including professional document reviews, one-on-one career coaching, and mock interviews.
Penn State alumni can get started with Alumni Career Services by visiting alumni.psu.edu/career.