“The Trump administration is preparing to fill two of the top governmentwide technology executives roles in the next two weeks. And early returns on those in the running aren’t positive.”
“Multiple sources confirm President Donald Trump plans to name Basil Parker as the new federal chief information officer and Camilo Sandoval as the new federal chief information security officer.”
“Parker is currently the chief of staff at the Office of Personnel Management, and spent almost his entire career in the private sector before coming to OPM in 2018. He would replace Suzette Kent, who left in July.”
“Sandoval, who previously served as the acting CIO at the Veterans Affairs Department for a year in 2018, has been a senior advisor in the Office of Management and Budget’s Office of the Federal CIO since June. He would replace Grant Schneider, who left at the end of August after five years at OMB.”
“The news that the administration was considering filling both those roles surprised most observers, and few people personally had met or knew either candidate.”
“Of those who have worked with Parker and Sandoval, the reactions weren’t good…”
“’The concern is both of these men will turn federal IT into a partisan conversation,’ said another source. ‘For IT to work, it doesn’t help anyone to make it partisan. No one wants to see the CIO community distracted or insulted at this point in the year, given everything that has to do with COVID, the budget and so many other things going on…’” Read the full article here.
Source: Some question why White House plans to fill federal CIO, CISO roles now – By Jason Miller, September 28, 2020. Federal News Network.
