Episode 27: From Flight Medic to National Leadership - Nitin Natarajan on Saying “Yes” to the Career You Didn’t Plan

What if the career you end up loving isn’t the one you set out to build?

Nitin Natarajan thought he’d spend his life in emergency medicine. Instead, his path took him from flight paramedic to hospital administrator, to national security policymaker, to Deputy Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA).

In this episode of Careers & Coffee Talk, Nitin shares the pivotal moments that shaped his journey — including getting “kicked out” of college, leaving a stable corporate job for a $7-an-hour EMT role, responding to disasters, navigating imposter syndrome in rooms full of Ivy League credentials, and learning to lead in fields where he wasn’t the technical expert.

Throughout his career, one principle has guided his decisions: do right by the people, and make sure everyone goes home at the end of the day.

We talk about:

☕ Why saying “yes” can open doors you never imagined
☕ The transition from frontline response to national policy leadership
☕ Leading teams without pretending to be the expert
☕ Imposter syndrome, even at the highest levels
☕ What public service really means in an era of constant disruption
☕ Why hiring managers should look beyond traditional career paths
☕ Finding purpose in uncertainty and career pivots

Whether you’re a public servant, private-sector leader, first responder, or someone figuring out your next chapter, this conversation offers honest insight into building a meaningful career without a master plan.