Karen Britton, Alissa Johnson leaving White House posts
Two top technology officials are leaving the executive branch: White House Chief Information Officer Karen Britton and Deputy Chief Information Officer Alissa Johnson.
Britton’s departure was discovered Tuesday when e-Management, a private IT company that works with the federal government, announced that she is joining as a senior vice president and chief operating officer.
“Karen is a welcome addition to our senior leadership team,” said e-Management President & CFO Bambo Bamgbose in a release. “She has a unique ability to assess and understand the strengths of individuals and inspire them to work as a team, improving productivity, employee morale, and customer satisfaction.”
Johnson’s departure came to light in an email obtained by FedScoop.
“The new year is a time for great change and new opportunities. With that being said, I have decided to expand my wings into new areas,” Johnson wrote in the email. “I am currently in a time of transition, but as I transition out of my role, this continues to be an exciting time for technology and for the government. I look forward to seeing what is to come.”
Britton and Johnson oversaw the White House’s IT department, overseeing a staff of more than 400 people and a budget of $46 million.
Johnson has served in the role since March 2012, helping modernize the Executive Office of President’s IT systems, using cloud services and virtualization, employing new cybersecurity strategies, and chairing the OCIO Investment Review Board and Government and Contractor Project Review Boards. Johnson was also active in DigitalGov, the collaborative office within the General Services Administration that pushes federal agencies to embrace social networks.
Recently, Johnson was honored with a FedScoop 50 award for her visionary work in “leading government into a new technology landscape with innovative ideas.” She was also part of a panel at FedScoop’s FedTalks that created #SmartIsBeautiful, a movement aimed at encouraging women to enter STEM fields.
FedScoop has reached out to Johnson for comment on her decision to leave and what’s next for her.
Watch Johnson’s panel from FedTalks below.
Billy Mitchell contributed to this report.
