Emily Murphy
Administrator, GSA
The road to federal IT modernization goes through the General Services Administration, and Emily Murphy is looking to ensure it’s a smooth one. As GSA administrator, Murphy is spearheading efforts to streamline how the government buys its technology, and she is acutely aware of the entanglements in the current IT ecosystem. One of her priorities, she said, is ensuring that “business decisions are driving technology” rather than the other way around. Murphy said versatility has been important in her career, which included time as an executive at the Small Business Administration. “The best career advice I’ve received is to push yourself outside of your comfort zone and give 100 percent, no matter the task,” she said. “When you are willing to earnestly take on new projects, you grow as a leader and create more opportunities for yourself.”
