“If we are all looking into what has escaped into the world around us, curiosity is one of the traits that will get us out of this mess to imagine something different.” — Maria Eliades
When you leave public service—whether by choice or because the carpet was yanked out beneath you—what to do next can feel elusive, intimidating even.
The switch from days dictated by doublebooked calendars, highstakes deadlines, and endless memo writing to an empty schedule can be jarring for sure.
If you ask Maria Eliades it all comes down to your approach.
If you’ve ever spoken with Maria, you’ll come to realize very quickly that curiosity and hope are two key drivers behind her decisions.
Those values guided the writing and teaching she did in the early days of her career. They also helped her during her time with CIANA in New York. Years later, Maria leveraged curiosity and hope while sharing stories of international exchange and leadership at the State Department, where she co-hosted the Voices of Exchange podcast and MentorTalks discussion series.
When her career came under threat from political turmoil in 2025, Maria decided once again that it was time to let those values take the wheel.
Instead of focusing on loss and devastation surrounding her, Maria grounded herself by exploring what could be.
Taking a bet on herself, Maria launched Pentelic Productions, a boutique podcast and strategic communications consultancy based in New York, and established her own independent podcast and newsletter, Our Pandora’s Box, subverting an ancient myth to explore hope, curiosity, and action in difficult political moments.
She didn’t transform into someone new. She let the values that had always served her well guide her footsteps as she learned to navigate a new landscape.
This Friday, August 14, at 11:00 AM EST, I’ll be sitting down with Maria to discuss her professional journey and the lessons she’s learned along the way. Whether you’re exploring consulting, considering launching your own business, or simply trying to figure out how to translate your public (or global) service background into your next career, I hope you’ll join us.
RSVP: Live Discussion with Maria
Here’s a look at some of the topics we’ll be covering; but remember, this is a community discussion so if you want us to explore another area, just drop your question in the comments.
The Reality of the Pivot: What Maria’s transition out of the State Department actually looked like and how she made it through those early days
Translating Public & Global Service Experience: How to craft stories about your specialized experience that will resonate with potential employers or clients.
The Business Behind the Business: What it really takes to launch and sustain a business
Curiosity as a Strategy: How to use active curiosity to break out of career paralysis and spot non-traditional opportunities.
What questions do you have for Maria about transitioning out of government work, launching a consulting firm, running a newsletter, or leading with hope and curiosity?
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