For Jane Hartman, a career in public service didn’t begin with a job application or a first day at the office. Its roots reach back to growing up on her family’s farm in Yates County, working alongside her family in their small business, and traveling to Albany with her parents as they advocated for policies affecting that business.

Those experiences gave Jane an early look at how government decisions affect everyday lives. At just 15 years old, she began interning with local senators, building on an interest in public policy sparked by watching her parents advocate for their business. Her path through college took her from agricultural business and public policy to a degree in accounting, but the connection between government and the people it serves remained a constant.

Today, that interest has become a career serving the community where her story began.

Finding Her Place in Local Government

Jane joined Yates County in 2024 as a Senior Fiscal Administrator in the Department of Social Services before transitioning to Human Resources in 2025. She now serves as Confidential Administrative Assistant for County Human Resources and the County Administrator, where she has worked since January 2025.

In Human Resources, Jane has gained a deeper understanding of Civil Service rules and regulations and how they apply to real-life situations. She’s also learned the importance of clear communication, attention to detail, and adaptability when helping people navigate processes that can sometimes feel overwhelming.

Completing the Civil Service Institute in December 2025 marked another milestone in her professional development. Yet one of Jane’s most valuable lessons has come from observing the people around her and recognizing that learning doesn’t end when experience grows.

Learning Along the Way

Jane’s advice to anyone new to Civil Service is simple: “Be patient with yourself, ask questions, and keep an open mindset.”

She has seen that approach reinforced by her own supervisor, who brings years of experience to the job. Even so, Jane continues to watch her supervisor encounter unfamiliar situations and learn from different cases. It’s a reminder that nobody is expected to have every answer—and that asking questions is part of becoming better at what you do.

Jane encourages new employees to build relationships with experienced colleagues and use the resources available to them, especially the Civil Service listserv, which she consults almost daily. For her, confidence isn’t about knowing everything from the start; it’s about being willing to learn as new situations arise.

Her advice is worth remembering: “Most importantly, give yourself grace, stay curious, and remember that confidence comes with experience.”

A Community Worth Investing In

For Jane, community isn’t just where she works. It’s where she has put down roots and built a life.

Outside the office, she enjoys exploring the Finger Lakes with her husband, daughter, and yellow Labrador, Knox. Their adventures include fishing, hunting, boating, skiing, hiking, and biking, along with discovering local restaurants and craft beverage producers throughout the region. With a busy toddler at home and a second child expected in May 2027, family life keeps her busy. Jane has also been involved with Farm Bureau, Rotary, and Rotary Interact, and hopes to return to greater community involvement as her children grow.

Her connection to the region helps explain why one of her hopes for the future of Civil Service is so close to home: she wants more young people to discover the opportunities available in local government.

Through career fairs, Jane has seen how many students are unaware of the variety of jobs available in their own communities. Some also assume that every Civil Service position requires a written examination, potentially discouraging them before they explore the possibilities.

Jane would like to see schools do more to introduce students to local government careers and the different paths into public service. These positions can offer stability and professional growth, but they also offer something that can be harder to measure: the chance to make a difference in the community where you live.

It’s a vision that brings Jane’s story full circle. As a teenager, she had the opportunity to see government up close and discover a world of possibilities she might not otherwise have known. Now, she hopes more young people will get that same opportunity.

From her family’s farm in Yates County to her work in county government today, Jane’s journey reflects a lasting appreciation for community and the people who help it thrive. And by encouraging the next generation to consider public service, she’s helping open doors for others—just as her own early experiences helped open one for her.

Sometimes, the future of public service begins with a young person getting the chance to see what is possible. Jane Hartman’s story is a reminder of just how much that first glimpse can matter.