A career which has been built on mission driven leadership, Michelle Rudnicki, the President of the U.S Public Sector at NetApp, shared the nuances of managing public sector clients, the significance of mission-driven work, and the role of data infrastructure in modern governance.
Rudnicki’s career is steeped in working with public sector clients, particularly in federal and local government as well as healthcare sectors. At the core of her work with NetApp is data โ various clients who NetApp work with from a range of social services to defence operations.
“Data is of the utmost importance to them” Rudnicki noting how it powers the missions that support citizens and national security.
IIt seems then, that the difference that distinguishes public sector clients from their commercial counterparts is their commitment to their missions,
“They are 100% about their mission” Rudnicki points out, stressing that public servants are driven by a purpose that transcends profit, aiming instead to make tangible differences in people’s lives.
For over three decades, NetApp has spearheaded the implementation of data infrastructures that support the complex needs of public sector clients.
“We’ve helped them to implement the infrastructures they need” Rudnicki explains, covering everything from on-premises solutions to hybrid and cloud environments.
Rudnicki also highlights NetApp’s intelligent data infrastructure, which aids agencies in managing an increasing amount of distributed and diverse data. By aggregating data across various systems, NetApp helps agencies improve service delivery to citizens, breaking down silos that have traditionally hindered efficiency. This transformation fundamental to government agencies who are often saddled with legacy systems that require modernisation to meet contemporary demands.
There are strategies behind migrating public sector data to the cloud โ a transition fraught with security concerns.
“We’ve worked to ensure that we’ve got the most secure products” Rudnicki notes, mentioning NetAppโs NSA certifications for top-secret data among other standards.
Leadership qualities essential for driving innovation and success in complex mission environments. Rudnicki reiterated the need for collaboration, transparency, and grit.
“You need a lot of grit,” Rudnicki says, defining it as the persistence required to navigate through various obstacles inherent in the public sector landscape.
