The finalists for WashingtonExec’s Pinnacle Awards were announced Oct. 11, and we’ll be highlighting some of them until the event takes place live, in-person Nov. 30.
Next is Artificial Intelligence Industry Executive of the Year (Private Company) finalist Theresa Cauble, who’s a program director at ASRC Federal. Here, she talks key achievements, success in her current role, career advice and more.
What key achievements did you have in 2021/2022?
I lead the Advanced Analytics Platform technical team which is the backbone data analytics engine for NOAA’s Financial Management Data System and was instrumental in the recently awarded expansion of the system for broader NOAA use. This expansion will lead to at least a fourfold increase in the number of users and a tenfold increase in the amount of data managed.
When NOAA’s National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service required a spend plan tool that could be applied to NOAA’s broader operations as well, our team succeeded where others were unable to in designing and developing a tool to meet the customer’s needs. Through the phases of design, implementation, deployment and support, the team provided cloud-scale, data-driven analytic decision support solutions, sustaining timely and actionable data to decision makers.
By designing the system from its inception with the option for potential future expansion, our team was able to save the client both time and resources. The expansion of FMDS to a broader NOAA audience will fill a critical capability gap in less than nine months, while a new system would require several years to build. The FMDS system saves approximately four full days of labor hours each quarter by streamlining the data collection and visualizations for the customer’s Quarterly Program Review.
Our team also provides cost savings to the customer by building predictive spending analytics tools using existing AI capabilities. In the spring of 2022, these tools predicted that several million dollars would go unused, which the customer was able to repurpose before the funds expired.
In addition, I led the development of the Mission Operator Assistant for NOAA and NASA, which supports the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite mission operations. With government staff unable to access and service the system on-site due to restrictions brought forth by the pandemic, logging files for the system became a complex task for the team.
The MOA tool empowered the satellite operations team by extending human capabilities through augmented intelligence in order to deliver data to their fingertips. Our team’s work resulted in better data accessibility and visibility than was available prior to the pandemic.
What has made you successful in your current role?
I have extensive experience in all phases of the software product lifecycle and the ability to translate unspoken customer business needs into technical solutions that exceed expectations. With this experience, we are able to capture the imagination of customers and show how they can leverage ASRC Federal’s extensive machine learning experience and capabilities. I also have experience in building integrated, multidisciplinary teams that empower the unique talents of team members and create customer-focused solution that exceeds expectations of the end user.
What was a turning point or inflection point in your career?
It was when I left the security of a big corporation (Paradyne) to join an early-stage startup (Internet Photonics). This move offered me the opportunity to take an active role in everything it takes to get a product out the door, with the exception of actually writing code. I was an integral part of the business development (partnerships and customer capture), RFx responses, technical defenses, system engineering, product marketing, product management, product training and deployment. This multifaceted role offered me the ability to travel the world to meet with our potential customers/partners, and gave me the real world understanding of what it takes to be successful, and the appreciation that size is not the only indicator of achievement.
What’s your best career advice for those who want to follow in your footsteps?
Don’t be afraid to color outside the lines, that is where you find opportunities to learn and grow. Breaking the rules sometimes is the only way to expand beyond the “normal way to do business”. Listen closely to what customers view as their pain points in their current processes, workflows, processes ⏤ that is where the real opportunities exist. Customers may not be able to clearly articulate what they want, but they know what doesn’t work in their current processes. Ask open ended questions, don’t assume that you have all of the answers. Listen, Listen, Listen ⏤ to your customers, to your team members, to your gut . . . and that is how you find solutions that not only satisfy but elate your customers while still having fun and inspiring your team.