The Department of Health and Human Services has named Beth Killoran its new chief information officer, HHS Acting Deputy Secretary Mary K. Wakefield announced July 8.
Killoran will help lead the Workforce Development Pilot Project to both identify and outline requirements for an IT workforce, in addition to outlining future expectations. According to the announcement, HHS officials hope this project will reveal the best ways to make the HHS workforce tech-savvy.
"Information technology has advanced in leaps, even to the point where it is helping us build a better healthcare system," Wakefield said. "But driving improvements has always gone hand-in-hand with defending the information in these new efforts.
"To protect all of our IT systems – from desktops to the personally identifiable information and protected health information our department works with – we need more than an investment in funding or new technology," she added. "We need a cyber-savvy workforce."
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Killoran's primary focus will be IT and cybersecurity, to help move HHS "safely and securely into the digital age." She'll continue the CyberCARE (Cybersecurity Communication, Awareness, Response and Education) initiative that provides HHS staff with weekly educational information to best protect against cyber threats, along with other educational functions.
Killoran is charged with leading HHS IT and cybersecurity, through collaborations within HHS offices and other partners outside of the department. As director of high priority projects with a focus on cybersecurity and privacy protection. Killoran will also be in charge of IT investment planning to ensure resources are properly allocated.
Prior to joining HHS in October 2014, she spent 11 years in a number of leadership positions at the Department of Homeland Security.
Twitter: @JessieFDavis
Email the writer: jessica.davis@himssmedia.com
