Leading Innovation: Sarah MacDawutey's Journey from Healthcare to IT

Get ready to be inspired by Sarah MacDawutey, the Acting Deputy Director for Innovations in the Office of the Chief Technology Officer. With over 20 years of experience in healthcare and IT, Sarah’s journey is a masterclass in transformation and leadership.Starting in healthcare roles back in 2002, she made a pivotal shift in 2012 to the world of Information Technology, diving into early machine learning projects focused on Natural Language Processing. From there, Sarah discovered her passion for Scrum, Agile coaching, and software development, quickly becoming a sought-after expert in government contracting.During the COVID-19 pandemic, Sarah expanded her skill set even further, mastering Human-Centered Design (HCD) and product development. Her innovative mindset led to the creation of groundbreaking tools and initiatives that have transformed how the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) operates. From building a DevSecOps community of practice to streamlining change releases with cutting-edge automation, her work continues to push the boundaries of what’s possible.Tune in to hear Sarah’s story of resilience, innovation, and leadership, and discover how she’s driving change in the VA and beyond. 🚀Sarah MacDawuteyActing Deputy Director - InnovationsOffice of the Chief Technology OfficerOffice of Information and TechnologyU.S. Department of Veterans AffairsSarah MacDawutey currently serves as the Acting Deputy Director – Innovations in the Office of the Chief Technology Officer. Residing in Northern Virginia, Sarah has been immersed in health care-related roles since 2002, bringing over two decades of experience to her work. In 2012, Sarah transitioned into the field of Information Technology. She began as a Subject Matter Expert, where she played a pivotal role in training early machine learning models in Natural Language Processing (NLP) and enhancing engine accuracy through curated rules. Her proficiency in these areas laid the foundation for her future endeavors in IT. Sarah's journey into Scrum, Agile Coaching, and agile software development marked a significant turning point in her career. She discovered a passion for coaching, which led her to government contracting. Her expertise in agile methodologies has been instrumental in driving successful project outcomes. During the COVID-19 pandemic Sarah took the opportunity to further develop her skills in Human-Centered Design (HCD) and product development through additional course work. During this time, she expanded her role within the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA), launching several groundbreaking initiatives that have transformed the way the VA operates. Notable achievements include the establishment of VA-wide tools and a DevSecOps community of practice. Sarah's innovative spirit is exemplified by her contributions to the automation of change releases, integrating systems such as Jira, GitHub, and ServiceNow. Her forward-thinking approach and commitment to excellence continue to drive impactful changes within the VA and the broader IT community.