Department of the United States Air Force LogoBiography
                  United States Air ForceThis is the official portrait of Lauren Barrett Knausenberger.
            LAUREN BARRETT KNAUSENBERGERLauren Barrett Knausenberger is the Chief Information Officer for the Department of the Air Force, comprised of the U.S. Air Force and U.S. Space Force. Ms. Knausenberger leads three directorates–Enterprise Information Technology, Data and Artificial Intelligence and Cybersecurity–and supports 20,000 cyber operations and support personnel around the globe with a portfolio valued at $17 billion. She provides oversight of the Air Force's Information Technology investment strategy from networks to cloud computing, Enterprise policies, data management, digital transformation, information resources management, information technology innovation initiatives, information assurance and related matters for the Department of the Air Force. As Chief Information Officer (CIO), Ms. Knausenberger delivers cybersecurity and enforces Freedom of Information Act, Privacy Act laws and the ethical use of AI in the Department. She integrates warfighting and mission support capabilities by networking and securing air, space and terrestrial assets. Ms. Knausenberger also leads career management initiatives for 10,000 IT/Cyber civilian personnel across all human resources facets from recruiting to professional development.
In 2017, Ms. Knausenberger joined the U.S. Air Force to drive innovation across the Department of Defense, speed adoption of emerging technologies, and create stronger partnerships between DoD, start-ups, and the venture community as the Chief Transformation Officer and Director of Cyberspace Innovation under the Deputy Chief Information Officer. Prior to joining the Air Force, she was the founder and President of Accellint Inc., a consulting firm and Venture Partner with NextGen Angels, specializing in solving problems of national security importance, and investing in commercial technologies that could be applied to a government mission. As CIO, she continues to go after hard problems, calculates risk differently, and ensures to keep a constant pulse on the voice of the Airmen.
Prior to her time as an entrepreneur and venture capitalist, Ms. Knausenberger held positions of increasing responsibility at American Management Systems and CACI, beginning as a systems analyst and designer, then as a go-to project manager for program turnarounds, a program manager for large IT and finance programs, and finally as a division manager overseeing much of the company’s Intelligence Community portfolio. During this time, Ms. Knausenberger had the pleasure of serving the mission of the CIA directly as well as leading and mentoring cross-functional teams and organizations supporting national security missions.
Ms. Knausenberger earned a Bachelor of Science degree in decision and information sciences from University of Maryland and a Master of Business Administration from University of Pennsylvania Wharton School of Business.**EDUCATION**
2003 Bachelor of Science, Decision and Information Sciences, University of Maryland-R.H. Smith School of Business, College Park, Md.
2012 Master of Business Administration, University of Pennsylvania-Wharton School of Business, Philadelphia, Pa.**CAREER CHRONOLOGY**
1. June 1998–August 1999, Gifted and Talented Program (Cryptography/Intelligence Analyst Intern), National Security Agency, Fort Meade, Md.
2. July 2003–July 2004, Business Systems Analyst, American Management Systems, Fairfax, Va.
3. July 2004–October 2015, Division Manager-Program Director for Large IT Programs and Intelligence Community Finance, CACI, Fairfax, Va.
4. October 2015–June 2017 President, Accellint, Inc., Arlington, Va.
5. June 2017–August 2020, Chief Transformation Officer and Director of Cyberspace Innovation, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
6. August 2020–present, Deputy Chief Information Officer, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.
7. February 2021–present, Chief Information Officer, the Pentagon, Arlington, Va.**AWARDS AND HONORS**
FedScoop Top Women in Technology
Jimmy Doolittle Fellowship Award
Wash100 Award
Exceptional Civilian Service Medal (2021)
Golden Gov: Executive of the Year (FedScoop 2021–2022)
Fed100 Award (FCW 2022)
Wash100 Award (Executive Mosaic 2021/2022/2023 including No.1 popular vote 2022)
Top 100 Women in Technology (Technology Magazine 2021/2022)
Best Bosses in Federal IT (FedScoop 2021/2022)
Top Women in Technology (FedScoop 2018)
Jimmy Doolittle Fellowship Award (AFA 2018)
Top Women in Technology (FedScoop 2018)
(Current as of March 2023)Department of the Air Force Logo