Mark Gamis is a senior leader at Booz Allen focused on the delivery of innovative cyber solutions across federal partnerships. He is responsible for the development and delivery of next-generation service offerings that integrate Booz Allen’s leading strategic cyber initiatives (e.g., cyber architecture and engineering, cyber operations modernization, continuous risk management, and program assessments), engineering, digital solutions (e.g., reverse engineering), and data science capabilities. He engages with clients across federal agencies to understand their current environment, assess the threat landscape, determine their risk posture, and deliver tailored solutions that address their business/mission requirements.

Mark is a seasoned market leader with more than 25 years of management consulting experience and more than 15 years of demonstrated success growing a large portfolio of multi-capability client engagements. He previously led a broad client portfolio to include the firm’s federal finance business, where he led a team of more than 825 consulting professionals supporting enterprise program operations and strategic initiatives. His clients included the Department of the Treasury and related bureaus, the Securities and Exchange Commission, the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation, the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, the National Science Foundation, the General Services Administration, the Federal Housing Finance Administration, and more.

Mark has experience supporting commercial and public sector clients driving mission and business modernization strategies while ensuring sound program, financial, risk, quality, and schedule management. Mark also drives innovation into the client space in the areas of analytics, digital service channels, systems development, and cyber. He is an expert in organizational transformation efforts spanning large-scale digital solutions, cyber solutions, complex process change, and operational improvement initiatives, business process re-engineering, organizational change and performance management, and program and project management.

Before joining Booz Allen, Mark worked with commercial clients at Accenture, Deloitte Consulting, and Compass America focusing on systems integration, solution development, data warehousing, performance improvement, operational excellence, and benchmarking. 

Mark earned both his B.B.A. in business administration and M.B.A. from the University of Iowa.

Why is developing leaders important to you? There are two things at the end of the day that really inspire me. One is being a close partner in the successful execution of our client’s mission. The second is playing an instrumental role in our team members' career advancement so they can achieve their personal and professional goals. I love to see how our team members grow professionally through their different roles, and how they think differently about the business as they continue to mature as leaders.

What is leadership to you? I believe in servant leadership. One of my passions is to foster a team culture and enable individual success. It means we all have skin in the game, and my team knows that I’m committed to their success and I will always have their back.

Beyond technical expertise, what do you look for in hiring new people into Booz Allen? We need people who are curious and critical thinkers. They need to ask why. I think it’s also beneficial for our team members to have some type of involvement outside of the workplace to provide for additional leadership and social interaction opportunities and create experiences to serve others. Our clients want to work with people who are technically excellent and have individual passion—that excitement and focus will be apparent in how they come to work every day.  

Describe your first job. My first jobs were bagging groceries, and then working in an upscale seafood store. Those positions taught me the skills for great customer service early in life. It also gave me an appreciation for ensuring that I bring the best that I have to offer to work every day because of the impact that I can have on every person I touch. The job also gave me the chance to learn how to cook great food early in life! 

What did you want to be when you grew up? At first, I wanted to be a doctor. My older brother, who I idolized and still do today, is a pediatric oncologist, and an outstanding physician. I wanted to follow in his footsteps. But while visiting colleges, I learned about hospital administration, and that really clicked with me. I then parlayed that knowledge and experience into consulting, and I’ve been here ever since. I started my career in Chicago, later moved to Los Angeles, then back to Chicago, and finally to Atlanta with Booz Allen. I understand consulting and have worked with a lot of different clients, so I think my skills and experiences create agility across consulting sectors and industries.

What can we do to be happier in life? Focusing on the people around you is important, and letting them know how much they mean to you.  If you can step outside yourself daily to serve others, you will be happier. When you focus on a relationship, it activates your brain and emotions in a different way that has lasting effects. Broad and intimate relationships are fundamental for long-term happiness.