The finalists for WashingtonExec’s Pinnacle Awards were announced Oct. 13, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place virtually Dec. 8.
Next is Government TEAM Program/Project of the Year finalist Mark Munsell with Moonshot Labs. He’s the deputy director of data and digital innovation with the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency and a key member of the Moonshot Labs project team. Here, he talks career turning points, shaping the next generation of government leaders, proud career moments and more.
What was a turning point or inflection point in your career?
Quitting my job and starting my own business was a pivotal point in my career. It taught me so much about how to build and operate a business, and how to work with the government from the other side.
It was also very fulfilling because we moved out on good ideas very quickly. It can be difficult inside the government to move as fast as industry because there are restrictions and approvals that need met. It was incredibly satisfying with my own business to have the freedom to build something and then constantly improve it.
When I came back to the government, having my own business also gave me the credentials to prove that we could do things better and faster.
How do you help shape the next generation of government leaders/industry leaders?
A shift has occurred in terms of talent. In order to successfully implement data operations, DevSecOps, MLOps, etc., the entire workforce needs to be data literate. This hasn’t always been the case; in many ways, technical skills and technical leadership have not always been as valued. But today, the industry is evolving, and builders are becoming lifelong technical leaders.
We need to continue to pair the soft science degrees with the computer science and data skillsets to propel this talent shift further forward.
What are your primary focuses going forward, and why are those so important to the future of the nation?
My primary focus is to enable the talent growth. We need to ensure we develop our software engineers, data engineers and data scientists as progressive technical leaders who will show the way.
In terms of Moonshot Labs, our primary focus is on the national security mission; everything we do is to speed up the delivery of GEOINT capabilities in support of national security. We are also heavily focused on developing a relationship with the community.
In fact, in some ways, Moonshot Labs is symbolic with the commitment to partner with the community, whether it’s individuals, small-, medium- and large businesses or academia. We want to see more engagement in order to hit a critical mass.
Which rules do you think you should break more as a government/industry leader?
I’ve been known to blow up a room occasionally! Actually, we’re removing barriers and breaking down old rules now. A great example is the Blue Factory. It wasn’t that long ago that we would hire data professionals, and on their first day, they didn’t have a place to work. They couldn’t use their computers to perform data development, because our computers were designed to be secure, which means no software development.
We broke down those barriers and created the Blue Factory (where all Blue Badge professionals can work), so that our technical teams have the environment, tools and computers they need to do great things… day 1.
Looking back at your career, what are you most proud of?
I’ve always been proud of being a leader who still has their technical chops. There’s not a lot of senior executives who can say that; so many leaders start out with a technical skillset and move on from it over time.
I’m proud of the fact that I still do software development; I still build things; and if necessary, I can have a technical conversation with software engineers that goes deep down in the weeds.
I’m also very proud of my direct support to mission over the years. I’ve been fortunate to work with people dedicated to our national security, and together, we’ve made a difference.