Job From: SVP of External Affairs at Exiger,
Job To: CISO at the United States Department of Defense, then CIO
Katie Arrington was appointed the Department of Defense’s CISO, only to be swiftly promoted to acting DoD Chief Information Officer (CIO) weeks later.
Katie’s rapid appointment to the Pentagon’s official “Performing the Duties of the Department of Defense Chief Information Officer” under the second Trump administration signals a potentially significant shift in the Pentagon’s approach to cybersecurity, IT governance and the enforcement of standards within the Defence Industrial Base (DIB).
Her appointment suggests a renewed and potentially intensified focus on implementing and enforcing the Cybersecurity Maturity Model Certification) programme, an initiative to enhance cybersecurity practices within the DIB.
The CISO role — though briefly held — encompasses critical responsibilities for setting cybersecurity policy, overseeing defence-wide programmes, protecting infrastructure and coordinating standards – areas where her influence, particularly regarding CMMC, was immediately anticipated.
Katie first joined the Defense Department in 2019 and served in the Pentagon’s Office of Acquisition and Sustainment in President Donald Trump’s first term.
She played a pivotal role in shaping the CMMC, urging DoD contractors to strengthen their foundational cybersecurity measures to protect both the Defense Department and its industry partners from cyber threats.
Her subsequent move to acting CIO provides even broader authority over IT strategy, budget and policy implementation across the DoD.
To read the full article in the magazine, click HERE.
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