Jason Scott
Executive Mosaic is pleased to announce Dana Deasy, Defense Department chief information officer, has been inducted into the 2019 Wash100 — Executive Mosaic’s annual selection of the most influential voices in the government contracting arena — for his leadership promoting and developing artificial intelligence capabilities and spearheading cloud adoption effort. This marks the first Wash100 award for Deasy.
In June, DoD announced the creation of the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, charged with consolidating AI efforts across the department to combat foreign AI threats. Overseen by Deasy, JAIC works to develop common AI standards, reusable technology and shared data and processes.
At a House Armed Services Committee subpanel hearing in December, Deasy discussed the new organization’s mission set. He divulged that JAIC’s inaugural project focuses on predictive aircraft maintenance while its second initiative pertains to disaster relief. In order to achieve scale, Deasy stressed that JAIC must take advantage of the cloud, reusable tools and shared data, and avoid “stumbling blocks†when using such data. Under his leadership, JAIC has been collaborating with the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency to advance new AI capabilities.
In June, Deasy began overseeing the DoD’s new cloud initiative as part of the department’s push to modernize legacy IT systems. Under the $10B, single-sourced Joint Enterprise Defense Infrastructure (JEDI) award, a commercial company will migrate a range of sensitive DoD data to their cloud, enabling warfighters to rapidly scale data-driven decision-making. Deasy will direct the consolidation of disparate networks, data centers and cloud platforms, while working to ensure the reliability and security of DoD digital infrastructure.
As DoD CIO, Deasy is the principal adviser to the secretary of defense for IT management, including non-intelligence space systems, critical satellite communications, navigation and timing programs, spectrum, and telecommunications. Deasy assumed the post last May, with his announcement coming nine months after the Pentagon created the Cloud Executive Steering Group to accelerate cloud infrastructure adoption.
Prior to working for the Pentagon, Deasy held a range of senior leadership positions in the private sector, including as JPMorgan Chase’s global CIO. In that role, he oversaw the company’s entire worldwide IT infrastructure, responsible for a budget in excess of $9B and more than 40,000 technology professionals. He has over 35 years’ experience developing and leveraging IT strategies, projects and solutions.
In 2012, Deasy was inducted into the 2012 CIO Hall of Fame and, in 2013, the International Association of Outsourcing Professionals Hall of Fame. HMG Strategy selected Deasy as a 2017 Transformational CIO.
Executive Mosaic congratulates Dana Deasy and his staff for receiving this award.
About The Wash100
This year represents our sixth annual Wash100 award selection. The Wash100 is the premier group of private and public sector leaders selected by Executive Mosaic’s organizational and editorial leadership as the most influential leaders in the GovCon sector. These leaders demonstrate skills in leadership, innovation, achievement, and vision.
Visit the Wash100 website, where viewers can submit 10 votes for the executives of consequence they believe will have the most significant impact in 2019.
