Charles Worthington

CTO, Department of Veterans Affairs

Worthington first came into public service through a short-term placement as a Presidential Innovation Fellow. So perhaps it’s not surprising that he views short-term public service opportunities as a crucial talent-acquisition mechanism for government. “I think it is important to build a culture of public service within the technology industry, just as it exists in most other professions,” he told FedScoop, citing law, finance and medicine as examples. “It is expected, respected and celebrated that some of the best scientists, attorneys, and finance experts will do stints in public service — clerking for a judge, for example, is one of the most prestigious things a new attorney can do. In an attorney’s later years, becoming a judge is viewed as an honor bestowed only on those at the top of the field. We must build the same culture within the technology industry, such that great technologists can find opportunities to serve in public service at various stages of their careers — and vice versa.”