The U.S. CIO position was established within the White House’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB) to provide leadership and oversight for IT spending throughout the Federal Government. In addition, each Federal agency has its own CIO, as established by the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996.
Vivek Kundra, U.S. Chief Information Officer
Vivek Kundra was named U.S. CIO by President Obama on March 5, 2009.Kundra plays a key role in ensuring that the Federal Government is operating, in President Obama’s words, “in the most secure, open, and efficient way possible.” Kundra works closely with the chief technology and performance officers.
Kundra directs IT policy, strategic planning of Federal IT investments, and oversight of Federal technology spending. He establishes and oversees enterprise architecture to ensure system interoperability and information-sharing, and maintains information security and privacy across the Federal Government. Kundra’s priorities include openness and transparency, lowering costs, cybersecurity, participatory democracy, and innovation.
