Margaret G. Palmieri, director, Navy Digital Warfare, addresses attendees at the Artificial Intelligence panel during the 2018 Sea-Air-Space Exposition. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 2nd Class Lauren K. Jennings/Released)
The Pentagon has selected the founder of a Navy office focused on digital warfare, Margaret Palmieri, to be its deputy chief digital and artificial intelligence officer, the defense department announced today.
“Ms. Palmieri most recently served as Special Assistant to the Vice Chief of Naval Operations and as Director of the Chairman of Joint Chiefs of Staff Action Group,” according to a late afternoon press release. “Previously, she founded and directed the Navy Digital Warfare Office where she led digital strategy development and pilot projects to improve the Navy’s use of data, advanced analytics, computing infrastructure, and networks in warfighting and readiness.”
The new office, which is led by DoD chief information officer John Sherman in an acting capacity, will be responsible for coordinating the Pentagon’s data and artificial intelligence efforts, after an organizational shake-up Breaking Defense first reported last November.
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Under the new office, the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, Defense Digital Service and the office of the Chief Data Officer will all report up to the CDAO, who will report directly to Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks.
“Margie has a proven record of building and managing teams that solve hard technical and operational problems,” Sherman said. “Her deep knowledge and relationships within DoD will ensure the CDAO navigates and cuts through the bureaucracy to get things done.”
Several other leadership positions for the new office were announced this week during a town hall, according to the press release: Lt. Gen. Mike Groen, director of the JAIC, will be the senior military advisor to the CDAO, and Dan Folliard will be the CDAO’s chief operating officer. Clark Cully will be the deputy CDAO for policy, while Greg Little will serve as the deputy CDAO for enterprise capabilities. Katie Olson was designated as the deputy CDAO for digital services.
“The Office of the CDAO will grow on the strong foundation our organizations have already built,” Sherman said. “Our inaugural executive team, led by Ms. Palmieri as Deputy CDAO, has the skills, knowledge and relationships that will help pave the way for the Department to accelerate the adoption of data, analytics, and artificial intelligence.”
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