Ask the CIO

The Air Force’s initiative to modernize its network didn’t miss a beat over the last few months despite the pandemic and other related challenges. In fact, the Air Force expanded its test of network-as-a-service to move into the early stages of reaching full capacity, Maj. Gen. Kevin Kennedy, the Air Force’s assistant deputy chief information officer for digital transformation, said the service is opening up the technology and culture change throttles under the Enterprise IT as a service (EITaaS) initiative. He spoke more with Federal News Network Executive Editor Jason Miller on Ask the CIO.

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Innovation doesn’t just happen at the Naval Surface Warfare Center Carderock Division - it’s something that people like Judy Conley and Jessica McElman promote, encourage and demonstrate. Conley, the science and technology coordinator for platform integrity, and McElman, the division head for underwater electromagnetic signatures and technology division, are both finalists for the Women in Technology leadership awards, which will hold their 21st annual, virtual, award ceremony on Oct. 29. Federal News Network Executive Editor Jason Miller spoke to them on Ask the CIO.

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Mark Munsell, the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency chief technology officer, said industry, particularly non-traditional companies, should use the tech focus and technology strategy documents as guides for how to help that agency overcome long-standing challenges.

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The Food and Drug Administration is about a year into its IT modernization strategy that focused on three core elements: A modernized IT infrastructure; the ability to demonstrate capabilities of a modern technology and data organization; and the constant communication with stakeholders and other experts to ensure the technology doesn’t fall behind. In the end, the FDA’s IT modernization strategy really is about one thing: data. Amy Abernethy, the principal deputy commissioner and acting chief information officer of FDA, spoke more to Federal News Network Executive Editor Jason Miller on Ask the CIO, sponsored by Vion.

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The Office of Management and Budget has tried at least two other times to get agencies to consolidate and optimize their security operations centers.

At some departments, there are eight or 10 SOCs, meaning there is no single pane of glass for the chief information security officer, or the Department of Homeland Security, or OMB to understand what’s really going on. Grant Schneider, the federal CISO, said the latest attempt to improve the value and reduce the number of security operations centers is well underway.

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Christie Canaria, the Small Business Innovation Research program director at the National Cancer Institute and a finalist for the Women in Technology leadership award, said her role in helping small business successful navigate the Small Business Innovation Research program depends bring an assortment of ideas to the table.

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Nicolas Chaillan, the Air Force’s chief software officer, said the service is testing its cloud native access point approach through Platform One with the F-35 and Ground Based Strategic Deterrent (GBSD) teams.

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For Suzette Kent, among the biggest frustrations of being federal chief information officer for more than two years was how Congress viewed IT modernization. While a handful of lawmakers understood what it takes to move agencies off legacy systems, Kent said most saw it as a one-year project. Kent, who left her position as federal CIO earlier in July, said changing the funding model for technology is among the biggest impediments to modernization. She spoke more with Federal News Network Executive Editor Jason Miller on Ask the CIO.

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Ryan Cote, the chief information officer of the Transportation Department, said he shuddered to think what might have happened if not for the previous two years’ worth of work.But it took more than just a modernized network. Cote personally got involved in nearly every aspect of the effort to get the network ready for the telework surge.

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