Zeke Maldonado has been appointed acting chief information officer at the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
Former Department of Homeland Security Under Secretary and Chief Acquisition Officer Chris Cummiskey congratulated Maldonado on the appointment in a LinkedIn post on Tuesday.
In his new role, Maldonado is responsible for delivering enterprise information management, technology and cybersecurity services that support FEMA’s workforce and disaster response operations, Cummiskey said. The role also includes shaping the agency’s technology strategy, overseeing major IT acquisitions, and ensuring alignment with federal architecture and security requirements.
The new acting CIO will report to Shila Cooch, FEMA’s associate administrator for mission support.
Who Is Zeke Maldonado?
Before joining FEMA, Maldonado served as executive director for IT operations at DHS. In that capacity, he oversaw IT service delivery supporting approximately 15,000 personnel across multiple U.S. locations and managed a technical workforce of more than 400 federal employees and contractors.
He previously held the position of CIO and director of technology and data services for DHS’ intelligence and analysis directorate. In that role, he oversaw planning, budgeting and execution of IT architecture and operations supporting the department’s intelligence mission, including management of classified network environments.
What Is Maldonado’s Background in Naval Intelligence?
Earlier in his career, Maldonado spent over 18 years with the Office of Naval Intelligence. As command information officer and director of the technology and innovation directorate, he led enterprise IT, cybersecurity, cloud strategy and data science initiatives.
His previous roles at ONI include deputy CIO for information management and chief knowledge officer; deputy department head for command, control, communications, computers, intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance; and division head for platforms engineering, modeling and signatures. Throughout this tenure, Maldonado managed broad technology strategies, oversaw scientific and technical intelligence programs, and led multidisciplinary engineering and analytical teams.
What Is Maldonado’s Private-Sector and Education Background?
Prior to his government career, Maldonado worked at BAE Systems as an electrical engineer, leading software and hardware design, development and integration efforts tied to naval radar and AN/UPX-24 systems.
He holds a master’s degree in business administration from the Naval Postgraduate School and a bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland.
