Kirsten Davies sworn in as Pentagon CIO

Kirsten Davies has been sworn in as the Pentagon’s chief information officer, giving the Defense Department its first permanent IT head during Trump 2.0. 

Davies was confirmed by the Senate on Dec. 18 as part of a group of tech nominations, which included Ethan Klein to be the U.S. chief technology officer and Pedro Allende to lead the Department of Homeland Security’s Science and Technology office. 

The LinkedIn page for the DOD CIO office said Davies was officially sworn in on Dec. 23. She also announced her new role in a Monday LinkedIn post.

President Donald Trump first nominated Davies to the CIO role in May 2025. She previously held a variety of IT and cybersecurity positions across the private sector, including with Unilever, the Estée Lauder Companies and Booz Allen Hamilton. Davies also founded and served as the CEO of the nonprofit Institute for Cyber, which is focused on promoting digital safety. 

Davies’ nomination received vocal backing from an array of cybersecurity experts. More than 100 cyber professionals signed on to a September letter calling for the Senate Armed Services Committee to support her confirmation. 

“Many of us have collaborated with her, witnessed her steady hand in high-stakes situations, and observed her ability to lead with both conviction and humility. She has built a reputation as a world-class cybersecurity executive who can earn trust, build teams, and navigate complexity,” they wrote.

Katie Arrington, DOD’s chief information security officer, performed the duties of Pentagon CIO prior to Davies’ confirmation.