Mark Pittella is the Associate Director for Operations (ADO) of the United States Marshals Service (USMS). Serving as the third in command for the nation's oldest law enforcement agency, Mr. Pittella oversees all U.S. Marshals Service operational personnel, programs and missions including: Investigative and Intelligence Operations, Judicial and Witness Security, Prisoner Security and Transportation, Tactical Operations and Dignitary Protection.
The Associate Director for Operations advises the Director and Deputy Director on matters related to these divisions and assists with the strategic planning and operational readiness of the entire operational backbone of the U.S. Marshals Service law enforcement mission.
For over two decades, Associate Director for Operations (ADO) Pittella has been a key leader in the United States Marshals Service, most notably in its world-renowned Witness Security Division (WSD). Serving as its Assistant Director, Mr. Pittella provided programmatic oversight of the Witness Security Program, which has over 19,000 witnesses authorized for Program services.
Effectively mitigating risk across all mission areas, Mr. Pittella helped modernize a stand-alone, secret level classification information technology system that compartmentalizes the Program's sensitive data. He developed and communicated Technology Trend Intelligence bulletins USMS-wide to foster collaboration among divisions related to intelligence sharing. Mr. Pittella served as a member of the Agency's Intelligence Governance Board, the U.S. Marshals Service Museum Board of Directors and was part of the critical U.S. Marshals Service Pandemic Response Team.
Prior to his appointment as Assistant Director, Mr. Pittella served as Deputy Assistant Director and Chief Inspector to Witness Security Division Headquarters (HQ) Operations, creating the Division’s first Intelligence Unit, which collects, researches, analyzes, and disseminates vital intelligence related to authorized witnesses. While Chief Inspector for Witness Security Division HQ Administration, he introduced and implemented a risk-based approach to Witness Security Division (WSD) compliance with Witness Security Division's Compliance and Assurance Team that was later adopted by other U.S. Marshals Service divisions. As Chief Inspector to Witness Security Division International Operations, Mr. Pittella established and facilitated the cooperation between the U.S. Marshals Service, DOJs' Office of Enforcement Operations (OEO), and the Mexican Attorney General, to create Witness Security training under the Merida Initiative.
He oversaw and led trainings for the Plan Colombia Initiative, which took place in Bogota, Colombia and conducted numerous cross-trainings with countries in Central America, Europe, and Mexico. Mr. Pittella coordinated and led two international symposiums related to witness security, with each having over 50 countries in attendance, representing 6 continents.
Upon graduating with a Bachelor of Science in Criminal Justice from the University of Massachusetts, Associate Director for Operations (ADO) Pittella worked at the Middlesex District Attorney's Office in Cambridge, MA and the Department of Social Services in Malden, MA. Associate Director for Operations (ADO) Pittella attended the U.S. Marshals Service training Academy and became a Deputy U.S. Marshal in 1997.
He has successfully served as Deputy U.S. Marshal in the District of Columbia Superior Court District and rose through the ranks. During his 25-year career with the U.S. Marshals Service, Mr. Pittella received the Director's Distinguished Award, numerous Special Act Awards, Assistant Attorney General Award, as well as several commendations as a Criminal Investigator for the D.C. Superior Court Warrant Squad.