The United States Government Accountability Office (GAO) is an active recruiter and employer of Evans School alumni around the country. More than 40 of our alumni are employed by the GAO. Five Seattle Office GAO alumni took time from their busy schedules to respond to questions about their work and reflect on their time at the Evans School. We heard from:
- Jay Berman (MPA ’04), senior analyst in homeland security and justice issues
- Brian Chung (MPA ’07), senior analyst on the physical infrastructure team
- Dawn Hoff (MPA ’91), assistant director of the homeland security and justice team
- Sharon Silas (MPA ’00) assistant director of the physical infrastructure team
- Maria Wallace (MPA ’06) senior analyst on the physical infrastructure team
Our Alumni in the Workplace series features articles that highlight the experiences of alumni in workplaces that have six or more Evans School alumni employees. If you have comments or would like to suggest an employer for us to feature, please contact us at evansalum@uw.edu.
What do you like most about working for the U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)?
Berman:I enjoy playing an influential role in the direction of U.S. public policy in a nonpartisan, nonbiased environment. At GAO, we work on behalf of Congress, but our analysis is based on facts and evidence rather than advocacy. This gives me a strong sense of responsibility in that my work is relied upon by Congress when making key decisions across government. That is very rewarding.
Silas: I like the flexibility and the travel. I also like having the opportunity to learn about new subject matter—our projects last about 9 months to 1.5 years and span a number of topic areas, so I am never bored.
Chung: My co-workers at GAO are some of the sharpest and best people I’ve had the pleasure of working with. They are smart, no question. And when the workday is over, they have very interesting lives, activities, and great stories to share of young and growing families. This is very welcome and helpful for me personally.
Wallace: Over the past 4 years, I have enjoyed working on a wide range of issue areas—from supply chain logistics, to border security and aviation delays. GAO’s work spans the entire federal government, giving analysts like myself the opportunity to work on any number of issues, or to focus on one area and work to become a subject matter expert over time. Work at GAO also takes analysts out into the field to meet with federal, state, and local officials involved with specific programs and policies in locations across the country and around the world, providing an additional perspective on the impact of the high-level policies formulated in Washington, D.C.
What is the biggest challenge facing a federal government organization today?
Hoff: A major challenge we are facing is the retirement of many senior level staff who are taking with them a wealth of knowledge and experience. Bringing in new staff to replace them is important, but ensuring the knowledge transfer is absolutely critical.
Silas: I think one of the biggest challenges is continuing to meet work demands with resources that are stretched thin.
Wallace: Federal government organizations face a range of challenges. In today’s context this often means working to be more efficient and effective in developing and implementing programs and policies for the benefit of the American people, while operating under challenging financial constraints.
What skills from your Evans School degree have been the most useful in your current position?
Chung: Basic skills learned in management classes come to mind. Case studies and memo-writing in those classes forced you to be clear about understanding a situation, roles and responsibilities, stakeholders, and power relationships. As a GAO analyst, I am a generalist who works on a variety of topics and the expectation is that I should be able to untangle some pretty complex and often unfamiliar issues.
Hoff: Analytical skills are important and certainly the Evans School provided plenty of opportunity to develop in that regard. However, Jon Brock’s coursework related to managing people laid a foundation that I’ve built upon and this experience has been key in my position as an assistant director. Successfully leading staff is especially critical in an agency like GAO where the environment and staff demographics are changing rapidly.
Berman: The training I received through the MPA program has been extremely well suited to my work as a GAO analyst. At the Evans School we learned the art of policy analysis and how to identify and analyze various policy solutions, how to write succinctly, and routinely worked on team projects. Developing these skills has been critical to my work.
Silas: Policy analysis skills have been invaluable at my job at GAO. However, even more important, skills in collaborating and communicating have been key to being successful at GAO. Being able to communicate ideas to others and collaborate effectively is important to producing a strong, quality product.
What advice do you have for people who want to work in an organization like yours?
Wallace: Spend some time familiarizing yourself with the organization you want to work in. For GAO, this may mean reading some of the recent reports and testimonies relevant to your academic focus or professional experience. Be proactive about applying for internship opportunities—they can be a great way to become familiar with an agency, gain valuable work experience, and determine if a career with that agency would be a good fit for you.
Chung: If you want to be a government performance auditor, you have to be able to balance optimism and skepticism. In the end, for all our sakes, you want government programs and decision-making to be run well. You also need to be able to ask the right questions and think critically about what you hear and learn on the job. In the auditing/evaluation world, having some people-skills helps, too.
Hoff: As with any employment, understanding the values of your organization is key to success. In my view, at GAO, developing a strong analytical base is important, but developing a reputation for integrity, a respected work ethic, good judgment, and strong communication skills are what make the biggest difference between good performers and excellent performers. New staff—in any organization—should seek out a mentor who can help them identify the values of the organization.
Berman: I believe the Evans School curriculum provides a solid framework for developing communication and analytical skills. Focus on coursework electives that challenge you in a variety of areas, including budgeting and program evaluation.
Silas: Hone your communication skills and learn to work effectively in teams. Having strong analyst skills are important, but here at GAO all of our work is done in a team environment. Being able to negotiate and gain “buy in” for your ideas and efforts is key to being effective as an analyst at GAO.
How has being a part of the Evans School network benefited you in your current position?
Silas: In the Seattle Field Office, many of the staff come from the Evans School. It’s been a good way to keep up with what’s going on at the Evans School and to learn more about what classes are being taught in the program and how they may apply to GAO’s work.
Wallace: The Seattle Field Office has a number of Evans School grads that are still very involved in the Evans School network. We all enjoy the opportunity to remember our days at the Evans School and many of us participate in events at UW, such as career nights, recruiting events, or participating in the public policy class.
Berman: Evans School students are working in almost all areas of public policy and a network to leverage these resources can be a treasure for those seeking new employment.
Chung: Maintaining ties to the Evans School provides regular reminders of all the positive hope and ideals that come from students who are heading toward professional public service careers. People are generally trying to do the best they can in their roles and jobs. It is helpful to be a part of a network where you have exposure to the diversity of issues faced in the public sector.
Published on December 1, 2010
