My Story

Hello! I'm Dr. Rabiah S. Muhammad. As a Senior Research Personnel Psychologist at the Office of Personnel Management, I help the federal government through the ever-evolving landscape of employee engagement, leadership and career development, and inclusive ethical workplaces. I am also  a Certified Professional Career Coach. Born and raised in Phoenix, I launched my academic and professional development during my undergraduate studies at the University of Arizona. I swapped the desert vistas for the East Coast to earn my PhD in Industrial Organizational Psychology at the University of Maryland. When not in metro DC, I love to travel, visiting over 40 countries so far, and I hope to reach Antarctica in the next 10 years!

Through a decade-plus journey across various federal agencies (DoD Army Civilian, Transportation Security Administration, and Department of Veterans Affairs), and consulting engagements, my path has been paved with a mission to help people craft and succeed in their careers: refining hiring practices, energizing training programs, and sparking employee engagement across small and large organizations. On a large and small scale, I work with organizations and people to identify gaps in skills and collaborate closing on closing those gaps. For individuals, this typically involve clarifying goals, goal setting, interview/resume review and training. For organizations, this often involves workforce planning, leadership development/succession planning, assessment building training planning. Both approaches focus on understanding needs and goals, not making assumptions based on my opinion, actively listening for understanding, and co-crafting strategies that flourish within your time and resources.

I am deeply committed to guiding individuals through careers planning, transitions, college planning and scholarship/grant development. Often, it's not about starting big; it's about starting right. Together, we'll prioritize, timeline, and align to transform ambition into tangible achievements. I am particularly passionate about helping women of color and minorities remove barriers to their success. I like to translate my technical/research skill into a practical approach to help people identify paths forward that align with their own values and aspirations.

When not working, I am a voracious reader (actively involved in 3 monthly book clubs), enjoy game nights with friends and family, and being pulled/supervised by my 14-pound poodle mix, Ida.