The Chief Technology Officer of the United States is leaving. What now?

Todd Park, who took over the job of US Chief Technology Officer nearly two and a half years ago, is returning home to California at by the end of August. He will, according to those familiar with the situation, remain part of the White House team, helping to recruit technologists to government service and keeping an eye on how the evolution of tech might impact the creation of public policy.

And Park's departure reopens the debate over what the nature of the US CTO role should be. One read of the job suggests that, in ideal times, the CTO post should be far more focused on developing public policy than rebooting botched IT projects. Also renewed by Park's decision to head west is the question of what sort of person should fill the US Chief Technology Officer’s slot.