Elliot Doomes

Black man with short cropped hair and beard in gray jacket and purple tie

Morehouse College alum

He/him
elliot.doomes@gsa.gov
PBS Commissioner

When did you join GSA?

January 2023

Describe what you do for GSA and what a typical day is like.

The Public Buildings Service oversees more than 370 million square feet of office space for federal agencies. As Commissioner, I’m in a lot of meetings with stakeholders, customers, and senior management from all across the nation to help support our 5,800 employees.

The Biden-Harris Administration has tasked us with modernizing our federal portfolio to make it more sustainable while strengthening American manufacturing and job creation and ensuring equity for underrepresented populations and stakeholders. We’re doing that and more.

With funding from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and the Inflation Reduction Act, we’re making the federal footprint greener and more cost-efficient. We’re spurring innovation in emerging clean technologies and creating small-business contracting opportunities. And we’re also leading the government effort in zero-emission vehicles.

It’s an exciting time to be at PBS as we have so many worthwhile projects going on.

What was your career journey before you got to GSA?

Previously, I worked as a counsel and policy advisor in various offices in the House of Representatives, including the personal office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee, and the Appropriations Committee.

What is the best part about working for GSA?

The best part about working for GSA is seeing the positive impact that we have on economic development in cities across the nation. Although economic development is not the primary mission of GSA, through the Good Neighbor program, GSA often works with local officials to ensure that its real estate activities have a positive impact on local communities, help fuel economic growth and provide good living wage jobs.

What advice do you have for others about working for GSA?

GSA is one of the most desired workplaces in the government where the average tenure of an employee is about 15 years. Our employees consistently rate us as one of the top 10 government agencies in factors such as employee satisfaction. In addition to the competitive compensation packages and myriad of training/career development opportunities, we also offer flexible work schedules, and in many locations, on-site fitness centers, health clinics, and child care centers. We believe that our workforce is where our strength lies and have designed our workspaces with employee sustainability, openness, collaboration, and wellness in mind.

However, in my opinion, one of the most interesting and best things about working for GSA is the scope and breadth of learning we offer. Due to the variety of services that GSA provides the federal government writ large, you have a wide range of opportunity to do different types of work across the spectrum. From selling used cars, to building courthouses and providing technology support to other federal agencies, you have the opportunity to never be bored with your work and pursue various interests and pathways where you could grow and expand your career.