The Defense Department has announced Cynthia Mendoza will assume the position of deputy chief information officer for special access program information technology.
A career defense intelligence SES officer at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency, Mendoza served most recently on a rotation with the State Department as the chief technology officer for the Bureau of Intelligence and Research.
Before that, she was the acting deputy intelligence community CIO, and prior to that, the chief architect at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence. In that role, she led major advancements in interoperability among IC agencies.
As CTO, Mendoza led the department’s efforts to develop, baseline, and integrate new technologies to improve INR’s ability to collect and collaborate information from a global network of embassies and consulates. Her efforts provide INR and State analysts opportunities to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of intelligence products that support the nation’s most challenging problems.
Mendoza has a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from Texas A&M University, and a master’s degree and a Ph.D. in systems engineering and engineering management from The George Washington University.