Liam Hilferty

Professional. Diligent. Good-humored.

Current Employer & Job Title: Chief of Staff for Assemblyman Michael S. Cashman

Age: 25

Hometown: Rouses Point, NY |

Education: The University of Vermont; B.A. and M.A. in History

Although Liam Hilferty may be the youngest person in the room more often than not, he rarely carries himself that way. Equal parts policy wonk, history nerd, mentor, and unapologetic punk rock fan, the Chief of Staff for Michael S. Cashman somehow manages to blend professionalism with humor in a way that feels distinctly North Country. One minute he’s coordinating with state agencies and stakeholders. The next, he’s quoting punk bands, helping his grandfather around the house, or reminding coworkers that sometimes the best way to prevent burnout is simply letting people enjoy the work they do.

What aspect of your organization’s culture do you promote most fiercely and how have you influenced it?

I have worked closely with Assemblyman Cashman to carve out specific roles for the staff, focusing on their personal interests and strengths. Although we are still working out a few kinks, this helps folks stay on task and helps prevent burnout by keeping everyone engaged.

Who has most influenced your leadership style—and what specific lesson from them still shapes how you lead today?

I’ve had a number of mentors over the years, and I’ve learned quite a bit from each of them. If I had to pick one who was most influential, it would be Prof. Andy Buchanan from the University of Vermont. I spent my last semester of grad school working for him as a teaching assistant, and one of the things he taught me is that while it’s important to have standards, you can’t expect everyone to be on the same level. As a graduate TA in an intro-level course, I arguably had standards that were too high for a first-year student to reasonably achieve. He taught me that sometimes you need to meet people where they’re at and work with them to get them to perform at the level you expect. As the head of a relatively young team, I employ that skill nearly every day.

What lesson have you learned the hard way and how has it changed you?

It is important to communicate with your team clearly and often. If people don’t know what your expectations are, their deadlines for projects or what’s on the docket for the day, things can get chaotic pretty quickly.

The North Country’s “Gen IQ” reflects how well we lead across generations. Where are we getting it right and where do we need to evolve?

It is important to be open to alternative perspectives no matter what stage of life you’re in . As individuals grow, they tend to focus on doing things a specific way, but someone else may come in with a new system that is more efficient.

What change do you hope to see shape the future of leadership in our region?

I would like to see more compassion. The cultural zeitgeist seems to have more people worried about themselves than their communities. We are fortunate to live in such a closely knit region; however, I think we need to remain wary of the urge to turn inward and become selfish rather than helping those around us.