White House Names a New Chief of Information Technology (updated)

Steven VanRoekel, a former Microsoft executive, will become the next chief information officer for the federal government — a bigger, more policy-oriented technology job than any he held at the software giant.

VanRoekel, 41, who joined the Obama administration from Microsoft in 2009 as managing director of the Federal Communications Commission, will succeed Vivek Kundra, the White House plans to announce on August 4. VanRoekel worked for Microsoft for 15 years, including a stint as an assistant to Bill Gates, the co-founder. VanRoekel was a supporter of President Obama, attended the inauguration, and after a conversation with Julius Genachowski, the chairman of the Federal Communications Commission, went to work for him. As the government’s chief information officer, VanRoekel said he planned to move ahead with the work Vivek Kundra began. “We’re trying to make sure that the pace of innovation in the private sector can be applied to the model that is government,” VanRoekel said.

Update:

Steven L. VanRoekel, Appointee for Federal Chief Information Officer and Administrator, Office of Electronic Government, Office of Management and Budget
Steven L. VanRoekel is currently the Executive Director of Citizen and Organizational Engagement at the United States Agency for International Development (USAID). Before moving to USAID in 2011, he served as Managing Director of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), where he oversaw all operational, technical, financial, and human resource aspects of the agency. He also led the FCC's efforts to introduce new technology and social media into the agency. Mr. VanRoekel worked at Microsoft Corporation from 1994 to 2009, most recently as the Senior Director for the Windows Server and Tools Division. He received a B.A. in Management of Information Systems from Iowa State University.