Inside Emerald One: Former VA Exec Kai Miller Talks Strategy, Culture, and Real Talk

In this episode of the Former Fed Friday Podcast, Shelly McGuire sits down with Kai Miller, co-founder and Chief Experience Officer of Emerald One, a woman-owned consulting firm serving federal agencies. With over 15 years in government service, spanning NASA to the Department of Veterans Affairs, Kai brings a rare blend of high-level federal insight and grounded leadership to her work. Emerald One was born from three former federal executives and their shared thought of wishing they had access to consultants who truly understood the realities of government life. Today, Emerald One delivers strategic consulting tailored to agency culture, not cookie-cutter solutions. “Culture eats strategy for breakfast,” Kai reminds us, highlighting her team's focus on empathy, trust, and listening. Her leadership style is as grounded as her lifestyle: listen more, prepare often, and lead with intention. Tune in to hear how Emerald One is redefining federal consulting, the role of culture in digital transformation, and why strong female partnerships are powering some of the most innovative work in the public sector today. To connect with Kai, visit her on LinkedIn here. Learn more about Emerald One here. If you liked listening to this episode, view our Former Fed Perspectives page here. To view all of our podcast series, visit our podcast page. Thank you to our sponsor vTech Solution. Don't know vTech yet? You should as vTech Solution is a trailblazer in the IT services domain with key offerings that include Digital Modernization, including Application Modernization; Managed Cloud infrastructure; and Cybersecurity.