The exodus of federal technology leaders appears to have begun in 2024, a little later than usual. But March appears to be the “go” date for some officials.
From the Department of Education to the Department of Homeland Security to the Air Force to the Defense Information Systems Agency (DISA), federal leaders are retiring or heading to new opportunities in the private sector.
Luis Lopez, who started in the education department and will serve as chief information officer from December 2022, will leave on March 22nd to take a job with INOVA Healthcare.
A Department of Education spokesperson confirmed Mr. Lopez's departure to the private sector.
“We announced his position prior to his retirement and are preparing for a smooth transition,” the spokesperson said.
It's unclear who will become acting CIO when Lopez steps down. Educational institutions have already made job announcements to hire new CIOs. He has until March 14th to apply, so he only has two weeks.
Federal News Network reported that Lopez will become vice president of IT operations for Inova Health Care Services.
Lopez has worked in the federal civil service since 2008 and in an educational institution since 2017.
During his short tenure as CIO, López created a customer advisory board last summer to explain to non-IT executives why the 2014 law is important to them and why it's not just a technology priority. he said in a recent interview. He also led efforts to consolidate and standardize the number of video teleconferencing and collaboration tools used by Department of Education employees.
In addition to his work in education, Lopez also worked at the Defense Health Agency and Walter Reed National Medical Center.
In addition to Mr. Lopez, two other technology leaders have also entered the private sector.
Federal News Network also reports that Drew Malloy, technical director of the DISA Cyber Development Directorate, and Robert Wood, chief information security officer of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services, will also take on new roles outside the government. admitted that it was.
Malloy, who worked for DISA for 14 years and has been a government employee since 2003, will join the small systems integrator.
Malloy has led DISA's Cyber Directorate since 2020, overseeing the agency's portfolio of cybersecurity capabilities, including identity and access management, joint regional security stacks, cybersecurity situational awareness, and zero trust.
He wrote on LinkedIn that he “developed a network and security architecture modernization strategy following Zero Trust principles, resulting in Project Thunderdome for a Department of Defense enterprise.”
It's unclear when Malloy's final day will be or who will replace him on an acting basis.
In addition to running the cyber division, Malloy ran DISA's service development division and was chief engineer of the cyber situational awareness and analysis division.
He also worked at the Naval Research Laboratory before coming to DISA.
CMS CISO Wood takes on new role
As for Wood, who has served as CMS CISO since November 2020, he will join Sidekick Security's new venture while continuing to invest in and grow the nonprofit Soft Side of Cyber.
Federal News Network has learned that CMS Deputy CISO Keith Buzbee will take on the role of leading the program until a permanent CISO is hired.
During his time at CMS, Wood focused on improving CMS's culture around cybersecurity, building a security data lake to break down silos, and driving technology strategy through cyber enablement.
Before joining CMS in 2020, Mr. Wood spent most of his career in the private sector, working in cybersecurity positions at Cigital, Simon Data, and N95.
DHS, Air Force Retirees
Two other federal technology leaders decided it was time to call it a career.
Ken Bible, the Department of Homeland Security's chief information security officer, and Eileen Vidrine, the Air Force's chief data and artificial intelligence officer, have submitted their resignations.
His last day was March 29, according to the Bible, and he has no firm plans for life after the Federation.
“I look forward to taking the time to fully enjoy my home in Charleston, South Carolina, and potentially supporting the field of education as well as the state and local policy level in the future.” Bible said in an email to the federal government. news network.
He has served as DHS CISO since January 2021 and has worked in government for almost 39 years. Mr. Bible, the recipient of the 2023 Presidential Rank Award, began his career in 1985 at the former Charleston Naval Shipyard, where he rose to become nuclear qualified engineering supervisor for three engineering divisions.
While at DHS, Mr. Bible launched Pathfinder last summer to begin evaluating existing contractors with cyber hygiene clauses in their contracts and focus on addressing broader supply chain risks through strategies. I placed it.
Prior to coming to DHS, Bible served as deputy director of the Information Command, Control, Communications and Computers Division (IC4) under the Deputy Commandant of Marine Corps Intelligence. He also served as Deputy CIO and CISO for the Marine Corps. Additionally, he served for almost his 20 years at Space and Naval Warfare Systems Command (SPAWAR).
Mr. Vidrine will retire on March 31st after 38 years of federal service.
She has served as the Air Force's Chief Data Officer since 2018 and as CDO/CAIO since January 2023, prior to her assignment after serving as Senior Strategic Advisor for Data to the Federal Chief Information Officer in the Administration. I returned to . budget.
Last March, Vidrine told Federal News Network that his new title reflects the central role data has in getting AI projects off the ground.
Vidrine said the department's AI response will establish a foundational data and AI skill set for airmen and guardians, and ensure the digital infrastructure and tools needed to make breakthroughs in AI research. The goal is to provide access to the
Vidrine began his government career in 1986 as a noncommissioned officer in the Army and received a commission as an Army transportation officer in 1987 through the U.S. Army Cadet School program.
From 2006 to 2012, Vidrine served in various leadership positions in the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, ultimately serving as Chief of Staff to the Assistant Director of National Intelligence and Human Capital.
Army PEO-EIS leader transferred to new agency
Finally, one federal employee is moving on to a new role rather than leaving his federal job.
Rob Shady, acting deputy program executive officer for the Army's PEO-Enterprise Information Systems (PEO-EIS), will join the Defense Counterintelligence Agency (DCSA) as program manager for the National Background Investigation Service.
Federal News Network has learned Shady's last day will be in March, and it is unclear who will replace him, even in an acting capacity.
Prior to becoming PEO-EIS' acting deputy in January, Mr. Shady served as assistant program executive officer and business mission area director at PEO-EIS.
As program manager for NBIS, Shadi must continue to modernize the systems that help federal employees obtain security clearances.
According to the Performance Accountability Council's third quarter update on its “Trusted Workforce 2.0” initiative, OMB recently approved the Personnel Review Questionnaire (PVQ) in November. This questionnaire is a combination of the SF-86 National Security Questionnaire and several other screening questionnaires used for federal jobs, including public trust and non-sensitive positions.
DCSA is currently working on plans to integrate PVQ into a new “eApp” web portal for background check applications as part of NBIS.
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