Over 100 executives from the White House and every major federal agency came out say bon voyage to Vivek Kundra, the outgoing Federal Chief Information Officer.
Sapna and Vivek Kundra. Photo by Kyle Samperton.
If the government’s email would have gone down the other day, it would have stayed that way for awhile as the federal government’s top information technology leaders joined FedScoop Founder and President Goldy Kamali for an intimate reception honoring outgoing Federal Chief Information Officer, Vivek Kundra on the rooftop of the Hay-Adams Hotel. This was Kundra’s first major appearance since his final day at the White House last Friday. He is leaving for a fellowship at Harvard University, conducting research at both the Berkman Center for Internet & Society and the Joan Shorenstein Center on the Press, Politics and Public Policy.
“I am very very humbled and honored that I had the opportunity to serve in the White House and am thankful for all the friends that I’ve made for life,” Kundra said.
Kundra thanked the fellow members of the CIO Council and all those he worked with in his position, saying he couldn’t do his job without everyone who stood behind him. He said that he can now go to sleep peacefully knowing all “the great people” who work within the federal government. During his time as CIO Kundra lead efforts to ensure openness and transparency, lower the cost of government, cyber-security, participatory democracy and innovation.
He was also presented an award by Department of Homeland Security CIO Richard Spires and Office of Management & Budget Senior Advisor to the CIO Council Adam Sedgewick on behalf of the CIO Council for his contributions to the federal government during his career.
“We really want to thank Vivek for his service,” Spires said. “In the future we will be able to look back and see what a tremendous job Vivek has done in changing the way government does business and the thoughts and leadership he brought to this position.”
The event was sponsored by Intel and attended by a number of CIOs and other C-level executives throughout government, including new Federal CIO Steven VanRoekel and Intel’s Nigel Ballard.
Goldy Kamali and Steve VanRoekel. Photo by Kyle Samperton
Charles McClain and Gary Galloway. Photo by Kyle Samperton
Mohamed Elrefai, Greg Clifton and Nigel Ballard. Photo by Kyle Samperton
