Adele Merritt, who has run technology operations at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI) since 2022, started work today as the new chief information officer (CIO) at the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
Taking on the new role with over 20 years of experience in cybersecurity and national security operations, Merritt is “well positioned to drive the strategic direction of NIH IT resources and infrastructure,” NIH Director Monica Bertagnolli wrote in the agency’s announcement of the new CIO appointment. NIH is a component of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and conducts biomedical research.
Merritt will report to Sean Mooney, who serves as NIH’s associate director for information technology, cyberinfrastructure, and cybersecurity.
Dennis Papula, who had been the acting CIO since January 2023, has taken on the new position of CIO of the HHS Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response as of Dec. 15, the agency announcement noted.
“Her breadth of experience and passion for harnessing technology to drive mission outcomes will be invaluable to NIH in advancing cutting-edge IT solutions in support of biomedical research and public health,” said Bertagnolli of Merritt.
At ODNI, Merritt led modernization efforts across 18 Federal intelligence agencies to transform enterprise IT and increase security, the NIH announcement said. She also led partnerships in her work with the Technology Advancement Center, a non-profit organization that collaborates with industry, academia, and government.
Before joining ODNI, Merritt was the principal deputy CIO for cyber at the Energy Department and held senior positions as a staffer for the National Security Council.
She earned her Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Business Administration in finance from Pace University and received a Ph. D. and Master of Science in mathematics from the University of Rhode Island, Kingston.
