Megan Fulmer Turns an Unexpected Career Path Into a Regulatory Consulting Business

A temporary front-desk assignment at a pet food company did not look like the beginning of a long regulatory career. For Megan Fulmer, however, it became the entry point to work that would eventually encompass product compliance, quality programs, international trade, market access and government affairs.

Today, she is the founder and Principle Consultant of Fulmer Global Regulatory Advisors LLC, an independent consulting firm serving the animal food and ingredient industries. The business brings together more than 17 years of experience and reflects a central lesson from Megan’s professional journey: an unplanned opportunity can become a lasting vocation when curiosity, relevant knowledge and a willingness to speak up meet a practical need.

A different beginning

Megan’s original ambition centered on horses. She hoped to manage horse farms and develop a therapeutic horsemanship program for children with different abilities. She pursued that interest and also worked as a large-animal veterinary technician, an experience she continues to regard as especially rewarding.

Over time, concerns about long-term stability and financial security prompted her to consider another direction. The resulting transition brought her to a temporary front-desk position with a pet food company, where she was later hired full-time.

A product recall soon gave the role an unexpected dimension. Megan joined other employees in answering customer calls and reviewed the frequently asked questions prepared for staff. Her animal-health background helped her identify a problem in the explanation of a veterinary procedure. She raised the concern, and that observation led to responsibility for managing veterinary and medical claims.

After the recall was resolved, Megan was asked to oversee state registration and tonnage reporting programs. The assignment marked her entry into regulatory work—not through a planned career track, but through careful attention to technical language and its real-world consequences.

Learning the language of compliance

As Megan learned the regulatory field, she discovered that its demands aligned with her strengths and interests. Her responsibilities expanded from state registration programs into international compliance, export market access, product and facility requirements, quality systems and government affairs.

That progression also showed what professional growth can look like when it begins outside an obvious specialty. Starting at the front desk did not limit the scope of what followed. Megan ultimately served as Director of Import & Export Programs at Darling Ingredients Inc., working where regulatory compliance, quality requirements and international commerce converge.

Her responsibilities included interpreting U.S. and foreign government requirements, supporting export eligibility and permitting, navigating country-specific restrictions, and coordinating with regulatory authorities and industry stakeholders. She also helped address requirements applying to products and facilities participating in international trade.

The work required more than locating a rule. Businesses needed to understand how government requirements affected products, operations and potential market opportunities. Megan developed an approach focused on translating complex information into practical considerations that decision-makers could use.

Building Fulmer Global Regulatory Advisors

Megan established Fulmer Global Regulatory Advisors to apply that experience through a direct and collaborative consulting model. The firm focuses on international regulatory and trade support for animal food and ingredient businesses seeking greater clarity about cross-border requirements.

Through the consultancy, Megan helps companies examine international market requirements, product eligibility, regulatory barriers, and import and export conditions. This work is intended to help clients evaluate potential markets before committing substantial resources to expansion.

Her perspective accounts for both technical rules and commercial realities. Regulatory requirements can influence whether a product qualifies for a market, whether a facility meets applicable conditions, what documentation is needed and which barriers may affect a proposed business plan. Making those requirements understandable can help a company assess opportunities and identify questions earlier in its decision-making process.

A career connected by problem-solving

Although regulatory consulting differs from the horse-centered work Megan first imagined, she sees a consistent thread across her career: caring about outcomes, solving problems and helping others move forward. Her animal-care experience proved relevant during a pivotal recall, while later assignments developed the regulatory and trade knowledge now central to her firm.

Her path also offers a grounded example of advancement without a conventional starting point. A temporary position led to specialized responsibility, growing leadership and, eventually, business ownership. Fulmer Global Regulatory Advisors represents both the culmination of that development and a new phase—one in which Megan can bring years of industry experience to clients through a firm of her own.