Leading With Empathy and Strategy: Building Mission-Driven Government Solutions

Lisa Mascolo is the CEO of Voyatek, a public sector technology firm. With over 30 years of experience in IT leadership, she has held senior roles at IBM, where she led the U.S. Public Service business unit and was a Founding Partner at Accenture, where she managed major federal government accounts. Lisa is also a board member for educational nonprofits and organizations supporting the advancement of women and disadvantaged individuals.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• [0:00] Introduction
• [1:54] Lisa Mascolo shares how her grandfather inspired her passion for public service and consulting
• [4:45] Why Lisa accepted the CEO role at Voyatek after multiple retirements
• [7:02] Voyatek’s focus areas and the company’s IDEA culture framework
• [9:48] Lessons Lisa learned transitioning from a large enterprise to leading a smaller company
• [11:34] How Lisa integrated two companies without external consultants
• [15:24] Lisa’s leadership style and the importance of consistency and empathy
• [18:17] Proudest moments and leadership lessons from Lisa’s career and personal life
• [27:23] Advice to CEOs on building trust, empathy, and team investment

In this episode…

Many mid-market company leaders find it challenging to integrate acquisitions, build unified teams, and create meaningful cultures while staying mission-focused. The stakes heighten when private equity gets involved, especially in government service sectors. How can leaders navigate post-merger integration while preserving purpose, empowering teams, and delivering outcomes?

Seasoned executive and leadership developer Lisa Mascolo has led multiple mission-driven organizations through change. She explains the role of empathetic leadership, consistent communication, and culture-building in building a strong organizational foundation. Involving employees directly in integration — rather than outsourcing — fosters alignment and ownership. Lisa has also developed an IDEA (Involvement, Decency, Empathy, and Accountability) cultural framework, which anchors team behavior and decision-making in complex environments.

In this episode of Growth + Exit, Susan Kearney sits down with Lisa Mascolo, CEO of Voyatek, to discuss leadership, employee integration, and building a mission-driven culture. Lisa shares how her early exposure to public service shaped her career, why listening precedes leadership, and how she united two companies post-acquisition.

Resources mentioned in this episode:

• Susan Kearney on LinkedIn -   / susanpkearney  
• Heather Bennett on LinkedIn -   / heather-h-bennett  
• Newport LLC - https://newportllc.com
• Lisa Mascolo on LinkedIn -   / lisa-mascolo-9020772a  
• Voyatek - https://www.voyatek.com

Sponsor for this episode...
This episode is brought to you by Newport LLC, a national business advisory firm.

Newport is a team of over 50 seasoned C-suite executives who have founded, built, bought, and sold businesses. We help CEOs of privately held companies achieve exceptional value quickly and with less risk.

We use our proprietary Value Acceleration Program — a set of research-based tools and methodologies — to help growth-stage businesses build and sustain value.

To work with us, visit https://newportllc.com/.