Yann Mulonda

YANN MULONDA

CIO & Lead Senior Site Reliability Engineer at ITOT & ICF

Can you please provide a little introduction about yourself

I developed an interest in technology and science around the age of 10 and I continued to learn about computers all throughout middle and high school. When I began secondary school, I decided to pursue an education in electronics at a technical institute (Salama Technical Institute) in my home country, DRCongo. By the time I graduated from High School with an Electronic Technician Diploma, I knew exactly what I wanted to be when I grew up: I wanted to become an “engineer.” Hence, started my journey to becoming an Engineer, which led me to travel around the world in pursuit of higher education, From DRCongo to India, to the United States where I acquired a bachelor's degree in Computer Science and IT and a Master of Science in Software engineering and Artificial Intelligence.

I eventually went on to work in various IT roles such as DevOps Engineer, Full-Stack Developer, and Software Engineer. I'm currently occupying various roles as lead Senior Site Reliability Engineer at ICF, filling the position of Chief Technology Officer and Chief Information Officer at ITOT. I'm also part of various IT teams involved in a couple of IT start-up projects across Central Africa, Europe, and the US.

What has your journey to your position been like? What path have you taken?

My journey to my leadership position has been a natural progression. I have always found myself in some sort of position of influence, and leading in various aspects of my life as I love to help others succeed. I'm the firstborn in my family, I was top of my class all through pre-school, middle school, and high school. I was a class rep and Soccer team captain, I was president of the International student organization in college. When ITOT was founded, my college nominated me for the CTO and CIO positions. So my journey since 2018 has been rising to the challenge, learning, and growing to be the leader my colleagues and peers believe I can be. 

Has it always been your vision to reach the position you’re at? Was your current role part of your vision to become a tech leader?

Not at all. I'd say my goal was to become an Engineer, build cool technology, and be part of a team that improves people's lives in the community through science and technology. My journey to becoming a tech leader was consequential. My dedication and enthusiasm to learning and growing, and my desire to share knowledge and help others in their IT professional journey are some of the things that have inspired my peers and inevitably brought me into a position of influence in my organization and regarded as a tech leader in the industry. In an interesting way, I do suffer from imposter syndrome every now and then as I see myself as an Engineer with leadership skills while others around me regard me as a leader with engineering skills. 

Have you had a role model or mentor that has helped you on your journey?

A name that comes directly to mind is, Chris Shellenbarger, the founder of CloudRepo and one of the best Engineers and managers I have ever worked with so far. After graduating from college Chris took me under his wing. He trained me and shared with me the knowledge he acquired for over 20+ years in less than a year. He mentored and inspired me in my professional journey. Since then, I have been fortunate enough to work long alongside exceptional individuals, engineers, and leaders such as Oscar Huerta, Samy Mwamba, Josh Essert, Patrick Farry, Neils Christoffersen, Metin Sisman, and many other colleagues from whom I continue to learn and grow in my role as an engineer and tech leader. 

How do you see the role of the technology leader evolving over the next 5 years?

Well about two decades ago, it used to be that a business might have an IT department. Then we went through a significant digital transformation that completely changed, not what we do, but how we do it. It's fair to say that nowadays, the majority of businesses if not all businesses are IT businesses. This has led us to Industry 3.0 and essential Industry 4.0.

I think the Tech leader role will have to involve as the "HOW" of things keeps involving. They have to stay up to date on the changes within the IT industry and learn to leverage new technology and tools for strategic planning that will enable their business or organization to be successful. 

What skills do you think leaders of the future will need in order to thrive?

In order to thrive in the future, leaders will need a solid knowledge of modern Software Development, IT Operations, and Infrastructure. In addition, they will need a good understanding of modern cloud systems, machine learning, artificial intelligence applications, and how to leverage data to make key business decisions. 

How do you keep current with new skills, technologies and personal development?

One of my mantras is an Albert Einstein quote that states: "Learning is experience; everything else is just information."

I regularly engage in activities that require deep learning and understanding of the subject matter. During my free time, I'm a technical writer. I write articles and publish IT tutorials on various topics that are shared with thousands of other IT enthusiasts. I train and mentor engineers. I attend and speak at conferences. I frequently do physical exercises, read books, and take care of my mental and spiritual health. 

A book I recently read that I shared with my Board is The Board and the CEO: Seven Practices to Protect Your Organization's Most Important Relationship, by David Weekley and Peter Greer. It is full of actionable items on how to develop solid working relationships and is a must-read for any entrepreneur and senior leader.

What do you see as the next leap in technology that will impact your business or industry in particular?

Cyber Security: In the age of Industry 4.0, security is everything. Implementing security measures can seem tedious, uncomfortable, important but not urgent, and expensive, but the cost of lack of security comes with a price tag that is far more expensive. Many organizations wouldn't recover from and some might completely go out of business. Investing in security early is key to business success.

"Leadership is not a position of privilege and power, it's a position of responsibility and a place to serve."

If you were mentoring a leader of the future, what advice or guidance would you give to help them on their way?

When it comes down to it, leadership is not a position of privilege and power, it's a position of responsibility and a place to serve. 

You'll get the best out of your team when they find a sense of purpose in the vision and goals you set for your organization and a sense of fulfillment in the work they do each day.

When dealing with challenges, I always remind myself: “People matter, they are your biggest asset and take priority over anything else.” I define what’s important to me and I don’t let what is urgent drown out what is important.

Is there anything in particular that you would still like to achieve in your career or what is the next step on your journey?

I still have a long way to go and much more to learn to reach my full potential as an Engineer and Tech Leader, I'd like to continue to take on bigger projects that impact society and contribute to the betterment of life in communities in developing countries.

In the meantime, I think big and make small changes every day. I work continuously on improving my skills, strengthening my knowledge, and enjoying the work I do as I walk through the career path I chose at age 10.

If you could change one thing in the world, what would it be?

Other details that you'd like to add:

A big thank you to Yann Mulonda from ITOT & ICF for sharing his journey to date. 

If you would like to gain more perspective from Tech Leaders and CIOs you can read some of our other interviews here.