John Zangardi, Department of Homeland Security (DHS) CIO since 2017, resigned from the agency effective Nov. 15, according to an internal email obtained by Federal News Network.
Leidos confirmed to MeriTalk that Zangardi will be pivoting to the private sector and joining the company later this month. For now, Zangardi said he will be taking some time off.
“After three decades of military and government service, I feel the time is right for me to try my hand at something different. I am going to take a very short break from work and then dive right back into the excitement,” Zangardi wrote in the email.
In the interim, Deputy CIO Beth Cappello will take over Zangardi’s role. Cappello has been in her current role for four months and previously served as acting CIO for Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).
Zangardi formerly served as acting CIO for both the Department of Defense (DoD) and the Navy. He holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree from George Mason University.
