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Mark Stevens
"For young people interested in public service, I'd say this: You're needed"
I’m a native Washingtonian
My first introduction to public service was through my grandmother. She was a housekeeper for the National Gallery of Art. Because of her, all my family members worked there. My mom did contracts and procurement. Through my mom, I realized you can have an exciting and meaningful career in government.
I've always been fascinated by government and how it can be used to make a difference in people's lives. I'm part of the 9/11 generation. I answered the call to public service in the aftermath of 9/11 and decided to pursue a career in federal service as a way to serve my country. That deepened my commitment to public service. It led me to study political science and economics, and eventually land an internship at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Recently, I was appointed to the Senior Executive Service (SES). This new role fills me with both pride and anticipation. It provides me with an opportunity to transform the infrastructure in support of the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders (NIDCD)'s seven mission areas: hearing, balance, smell, taste, voice, speech, and language. As NIDCD approaches its 40th anniversary, I'm looking forward to guiding the Institute through collaborative and innovative solutions.
Every day, I get to make a real difference in people's lives. And that's what keeps me going. Public service is a selfless way of making the lives of the American people better than you found it. It's not about profit. It's about taking your talents and skills and making a difference. Every day, I'm committed to ensuring we produce the best research for people. That's my mission - to make sure we have the infrastructure and support so my institute can do the very best research, benefiting the American people.
When I was in high school, I was featured in the Washington Post.
I was the president of the student government association, and a journalist came to interview me about local politics and education. Little did I know that article would change my life.
Someone affiliated with St. Albans school saw it and invited me to be part of the inaugural class of their School of Public Service. Through that program, I met people like Tim Russert and Senator John McCain. It was an incredible experience that really impressed upon me the importance of public service in making a difference in people's lives.
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My career has taken me from Capitol Hill to the Smithsonian, and now to the National Institutes of Health (NIH). I've worked in state and local government, done legislative analysis, and now I'm in administration. Each experience has informed where I am today and helps with my decision-making. I hope to share the impact a career in public service can have and inspire the next generation.
I'm a big proponent of internships and fellowships. They give you a great opportunity to try things out while getting trained and developed. For young people interested in public service, I'd say this: You're needed. The country needs good folks to come in and support where the nation is going. There's a need for good talent, especially as we're seeing a retirement wave in the federal government. Put yourself forward, attend open houses and fairs, and get a sense of the broad nature of government and the different services it provides. There's room for you, and we need you to fill critical positions.
Diversity is something we've been focusing on a lot at the National Institutes of Health (NIH). As a leader, I'm always looking at succession planning and how we're recruiting from diverse populations. That might mean going to historically black colleges and universities (HBCUs), Hispanic-serving institutions, or tribal colleges.
But it's not just about racial diversity. We're also looking at gender diversity in leadership roles. We're considering sexual and gender minorities, making sure we're being inclusive in our operations and staffing needs. We're also focusing on multi-generational diversity. I find that often I'm the youngest person at the leadership level in the organization. Different generations work differently, learn differently, and are motivated by different things. It's not always about pay. Sometimes it's about creating meaningful work that aligns with people's values and interests.
We've come up with a plan around diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility. I think accessibility is equally as important. We're really thinking about how we can be intentional to make sure we're reaching all segments of our workforce.
In the end, it's about creating a workplace where everyone can contribute their best. That's how we serve the public most effectively. Because at its core, public service is about making things better for everyone. It's about using our skills and our passion to improve lives, whether that's through groundbreaking medical research or ensuring our government runs efficiently. It's challenging work, but it's incredibly rewarding.
