Strategic direction
I set the direction, prioritize through both an enterprise and product owner lens, get the right people involved, and work with the team all the way through implementation.
A career in systems.
01:00 Silent filmA silent animated film following Mark’s Air Force experience, logistics and program leadership, FDA research systems, the first LLM integration into RTS, and planning to replatform RTS to AWS. The story and current work are described below.
FDA research systems / applied AI / AWS architecture
Stop spending money to make bad processes faster. Eliminate them. It’s free.
I lead modernization work for FDA’s Research Tracking System (RTS). I’m leading its first LLM integration and planning its replatform to AWS, connecting technical decisions to the mission, people, and investment behind them.
37Weapon systems
12,000Engines
$6.3B+Annual budget authority
15M+Records integrated in CIRDS
400+Regulatory scientists served
GS-14Program leadership / COR III · 20+ years in federal technology
The weapon systems, engines, and budget figures are from my previous role as a logistics supply chain manager for 448 SCMW.
Research Tracking System / applied AI
Bring an LLM into RTS. Keep scientists in control.
I’m leading the first AI integration into FDA’s Research Tracking System. The LLM compares project abstracts with the governing coding manual, returns supporting evidence, and flags disagreements. FDA reviewers make the final call.
In parallel, I’m leading planning to replatform RTS to AWS. That work sets the architecture and migration direction for eventual modernization while the current research mission continues.
See the RTS work01
Constrain the task
Analyze against an authoritative manual—not an open-ended prompt.
02
Show the evidence
Return supporting snippets and discrepancy flags with each recommendation.
03
Preserve accountability
Use AI to narrow the discussion; keep decision authority with reviewers.
04
Fit the environment
Operate within the agency boundary and the existing review process.
Operating range
Get rid of the buzzwords. I’m solving a real problem. Before spending money on technology, I look at what we can simplify, change, or stop doing altogether.
I take mission priorities and connect them to the investment, acquisition, architecture, and product decisions needed to move forward. I know where those pieces overlap, where they get stuck, and who to bring together to get things done.
Technical judgment
I look past the technical solution itself, challenge the assumptions behind it, and connect the decisions back to the mission and business need.
Delivery accountability
I establish clear ownership, address problems early, and keep teams and vendors focused on building something that actually works for the people using it.
Vendor leadership
I’ve led complex vendor environments for years, from onboarding new teams to coordinating multiple vendors, subcontractors, and projects running at the same time.
Architecture in practice / TutorialRepo
A working system is one proof point.
I direct TutorialRepo across AWS delivery, AI, a publishing pipeline, and a native iOS client. The platform supports more courses on one foundation, and I carry the architecture decisions through release and operation.
The through-line
Solve the real problem.
Air Force veteran. Electrical engineering and computer science background. MBA. GS-14 program manager and COR III. I’ve spent more than 20 years in federal technology. I know how programs get stuck, how vendors drift, and how good technical decisions get lost. I expect technology investments to produce something useful and justify what they cost. I also know how to get the work moving again.
More about how I operate02Field notes