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Steven Hernandez named new CISO at USAID

An Education Department alum, Hernandez has served as co-chair of the Federal Chief Information Security Officer Council.
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A view of the USAID sign above the entrance of the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center in Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

Steven Hernandez has joined the U.S. Agency for International Development as the chief information security officer and deputy chief information officer, according to a post on LinkedIn. 

Hernandez was previously the Department of Education’s CISO and also worked in information security at the Department of Health and Human Services’s Office of Inspector General. Since October 2018, Hernandez has served as co-chair of the Federal Chief Information Security Officer Council, which facilitates cross-agency conversations between those in that position.

In joining USAID, he will reunite with CIO Jason Gray, who was previously CIO of the Department of Education between 2016 and 2022 during much of Hernandez’s tenure. Hernandez replaces Mark Johnson, who had served as USAID CISO for nearly nine years.

The new position for Hernandez comes as the federal government sees a major change in leadership later next week, with the inauguration of President-elect Donald Trump on Jan. 20.

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It’s not yet clear who will take the helm of USAID following Samantha Power’s exit. Mark Green, a former Republican congressman from Wisconsin, led the agency during most of Trump’s first term. 

Rebecca Heilweil

Written by Rebecca Heilweil

Rebecca Heilweil is an investigative reporter for FedScoop. She writes about the intersection of government, tech policy, and emerging technologies. Previously she was a reporter at Vox's tech site, Recode. She’s also written for Slate, Wired, the Wall Street Journal, and other publications. You can reach her at rebecca.heilweil@fedscoop.com. Message her if you’d like to chat on Signal.

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