Mary Kate Flatley serves as the Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for the U.S. Department of Labor’s Veterans’ Employment and Training Service. In this role, she supports and advances the Assistant Secretary’s priorities by leading strategic initiatives, managing agency operations, ensuring program compliance with laws and policies, coordinating with Congress and partner organizations, and guiding internal management and senior-level decision making to maintain effective, aligned, and mission focused delivery across all VETS programs.
Mary Kate is an accomplished organizational leader with a 35-year career spanning the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and the private sector. She has led complex operations, training and development programs, and enterprise-wide administrative functions across multisite, high-pressure environments. Her work centers on building effective teams, streamlining processes, and delivering compassionate support to service members and veterans.
Mary Kate began her career in 1985 and progressed through roles that emphasized leadership, mentorship, and operational excellence. She directed personnel administration and executive support functions, managed organizational priorities, and oversaw change initiatives across major commands. Her experience includes commanding a Wounded Warrior unit, where she led multidisciplinary care and reintegration programs, and serving as a senior staff leader coordinating communications and strategic tasks for installation-level operations.
After retiring from the Marine Corps in 2020, Mary Kate joined Deloitte Consulting, where she focused on organizational change management, organizational design, AI based platforms, suicide prevention, and veteran transition support. She partnered with cross-functional teams to design and implement evidence-informed solutions that helped veterans pursue meaningful careers and access to mental health resources.
Mary Kate holds a Master of Science in Organizational Leadership and a Master of Arts in Education Instruction, along with a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Redlands. She is a designated Foreign Area Officer for Latin America and Western Europe, a Spanish linguist, and is currently pursuing a Doctor of Psychology in Industrial and Organizational Psychology. Her contributions have been recognized with the Legion of Merit and multiple commendations, and she was named the Center for Women Veterans Trailblazer of the Year in 2023.
Mary Kate lives in Washington, DC with her family. She is passionate about workforce development, mental health advocacy, and supporting veterans as they transition to civilian life.