After graduating from John Carroll University in Ohio, Fillichio joined a large PR firm that focused on social causes and marketing. After some time there, he went on to do some freelance PR work and began working for then-Labor Secretary Robert Reich. After two years with Reich, Fillichio continued with Labor Secretary Alexis Herman and served as his chief spokesperson. Fillichio managed the communications efforts during the UPS/Teamster strike and the negotiations for the global treaty to ban the worst forms of child labor. He managed the department’s release and communications efforts for all economic indicators and oversaw strategy and implementation of the department’s Labor Day activities.
After his tenure at Labor, Fillichio joined the Council on Excellence in Government. His duties there included managing the Innovations in American Government’ award, in association with Harvard University, as well as overseeing Public Service Recognition week (by Lomax ). He also did work on public perceptions of government and attracting young people to government service.