Top Google executive tapped as next Chief Technology Officer

By Chad Merda

The White House has announced that Megan Smith, a top Google executive, is taking over as the country’s Chief Technology Officer.

Smith replaces Todd Park, who let the post last month.

From the White House:

As U.S. CTO, Smith will guide the Administration’s information-technology policy and initiatives, continuing the work of her predecessors to accelerate attainment of the benefits of advanced information and communications technologies across every sector of the economy and aspect of human well-being. Smith is an internationally recognized and award-winning entrepreneur, engineer, and tech evangelist. She joins the White House from her most recent post as a Vice President at Google[x], where she worked on several projects, including co-creating the SolveForX innovation community project and the company’s WomenTechmakers tech-diversity initiative.

“Megan has spent her career leading talented teams and taking cutting-edge technology and innovation initiatives from concept to design to deployment,” President Barack Obama said in a statement. “I am confident that in her new role as America’s Chief Technology Officer, she will put her long record of leadership and exceptional skills to work on behalf of the American people. I am grateful for her commitment to serve, and I look forward to working with her and with our new Deputy U.S. CTO, Alexander Macgillivray, in the weeks and months ahead.”

Previously, Smith spent nine years at Google, where she was the VP of New Business Development.

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