About
After twenty years leading teams and navigating complex systems in the U.S. Navy, Teresa Marie Bergan developed the kind of instinct for human dynamics that no classroom instruction can replicate. When she transitioned to civilian life in 2005, she saw the chance to integrate her leadership skills into a career helping other veterans land in stable jobs.
At one point in her career, senior managers told her she “cared too deeply” to be effective in HR. Instead of taking that feedback as a verdict, Teresa used it as fuel. She became the first woman and veteran to hold an HR leadership position at Streimer, a Portland-based specialty contractor where she has worked since 2019.
But Teresa’s own transition out of the military wasn’t frictionless. In order to understand how business operates on the inside, she sought out professional communities like SHRM and local HR associations. Teresa then earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in human resources, as well as her SHRM-CP certification. She accomplished all of this while also navigating professional uncertainty, including a layoff during a company restructuring.
At Streimer, Teresa created a formal process to identify veteran new hires and connect them with the tailored support and resources they need to thrive in civilian roles. The program, the first of its kind at Streimer, reflects both her military background and her HR instincts. It enables the company to both recognize veterans and create the conditions for them to succeed. The culture Teresa has cultivated is one where military experience is understood as an asset, and where the transition into civilian employment is treated as an investment worth making for the veteran and the company.
Her reach extends well beyond Streimer’s walls. As a Military Community Ambassador and veteran representative of the Workforce Development Initiative for the Portland HR Management Association (Portland HRMA), Teresa has educated more than 1,000 HR professionals across the Portland region on veteran hiring practices. Nikki Schutte, Executive Director of Portland HRMA, describes her influence on the organization directly: “Teresa has a passion for supporting her fellow HR professionals by sharing resources and best practices for their organizations to create veteran hiring pathways. This is [...] core to who Teresa is.”
That passion is the thread running through everything Teresa has built, from the internal company programs and her community presentations to the two decades of service that preceded all of it. Today, Teresa continues the advocacy work that has defined her career. She looks to retire in 2029, and plans to devote her time to volunteering with and for veterans.
Inspired by Teresa’s story? Start making your mark with the Military Community at Work Certificate, a free course that builds foundational knowledge for recruiting, hiring, and retaining military-connected talent. If you are already certified, deepen your talent practices through discussion, peer learning, and practical application with our Strengthen Talent Strategies Guide.