Innovating for Veterans: Agile, Tech, and Transformation with Sarah MacDawutey

This week, we’re diving into the world of innovation and technology in government with a true trailblazer, Sarah MacDawutey!

Sarah is the Acting Deputy Director of Innovations in the Office of the Chief Technology Officer at the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA). With over 20 years of experience in healthcare and IT, Sarah has been at the forefront of groundbreaking projects that are transforming how the VA operates and serves veterans.

In this episode, we’ll explore:

Whether you’re passionate about the intersection of government and tech or curious about innovative strategies in the public sector, this episode is packed with insights you won’t want to miss.

Sarah MacDawutey
Acting Deputy Director – Innovations
Office of the Chief Technology Officer
Office of Information and Technology
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs

Sarah 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.