A number of people comings & goings in the past few days…

* DOT CIO Nitin Harban

I mentioned this a few days ago — at that time unconfirmed — that there was a new CIO at the Transportation Department. While I don’t have it “officially” confirmed — DOT public affairs has yet to get back to me — I have essentially confirmed that Harban started on June 29. While the DOT CIO is a political appointee, the DOT CIO job it is not a Senate confirmed post. I’m frustrated to say that I don’t have a bio or anything — and Google doesn’t even provide much help. Nor Microsoft’s Bing for that matter. If anybody has information — a bio or anything — post it here or send it along.

* Frank P. Pugliese, the former GSA Federal Supply Service commissioner, leaves DuPont

Pugliese, who was an almost legendary leader of the General Services Administration’s then-Federal Supply Service — for you newbies, that was the organization that includes the GSA schedule contracts among other things. He retired from GSA in 2000 — read the GSA press release from that time here. Pugliese eventually ended up at DuPont as Managing Director of DuPont Government Business Development. He resigned last week.

I spoke to him earlier this week and he told me his is not retiring. He is doing some consulting.

It was one of the worst kept secrets in town that Pugliese was interested in the GSA administrator job and in our conversation this week, even 9-years after leaving GSA, he still has incredible passion for that organization.

Here is Pugliese’s DuPont bio:

Frank P. Pugliese, Jr is Managing Director of DuPont Government Business Development. He is the former commissioner for the General Services Administration (GSA) where he spent his career focused on performance and operations improvement. During his 28-year tenure with the GSA, his efforts received numerous citations for contributing to better government through deficit reduction and cost-effectiveness. In1998, he received GSA’s Distinguished Service Award, the agency’s most prestigious award, followed by the 1999 Presidential Rank Award for Distinguished Executive. He retired from the GSA in 2000.

* Former SSA CIO Tom Hughes joins CSC

Again, I don’t have “official” confirmation — somebody at CSC will get back to me soon, I hope — but Thomas P. Hughes, the former CIO at the Social Security Administration, has joined CSC’s civilian group.

* Change of leadership at Young Government Leaders

Katherine Hudson Walker, who has been president of the growing Young Government Leaders organization, has announced she is stepping down and the new incoming president, Tim Sommella, will be taking the helm. (Sommella works at the Coast Guard, so pun only partially intended.)

It is with great regret that I send this email. For the past three and a half years, YGL has been my “baby” in many respects, but in looking at the priorities in my life I have another baby–my son–that needs me as well. Balancing my new son and work has been harder than expected and I find that I am no longer able to give YGL the time and attention it deserves. I am resigning my position as President of Young Government Leaders, leaving Tim Sommella at the helm of YGL until September 2009 when the newly elected board takes office. I will continue to serve YGL as an advisor and contribute as my schedule allows. Tim has done a great job this past year serving as a central point of accountability and direction for the board and I couldn’t think of anyone more capable and creative to lead YGL going forward.

I want to express my sincere thanks for your support of YGL over the years as we would not have been able to achieve our goals without your sage advice and generous contributions. I hope that you will continue to support YGL and our mission to promote civil service and help the federal government grow the next generation of leaders. Please stay in touch!

Best,

Kate

Katherine Hudson Walker
Senior Analyst, Strategic Issues
Government Accountability Office

Walker has done a great job balancing many priorities, and she still managed to grow YGL. It has been great getting to know her.

She was recently on the Women In Technology panel that I moderated recently, and Federal News Radio Program Director Lisa Wolfe wrote this wonderful intro for Walker:

Kate Hudson Walker covers a lot of ground with her career, her family and her hobby. Kate takes on the mantle of what amounts to two jobs, one with GAO, one with YGL. Kate is also a new mom to her 7 month old son Nathan. And if these two things didn’t keep her running, her hobby certainly would. Literally. Kate is a marathon runner aiming to run 26.2 miles in under 3 hours. She even has her sights set on being an Olympic athlete. She is training to compete in the Olympic Trials in the coming few years and will be testing her mettle this November at the Richmond marathon. Kate Hudson Walker, President of the Young Government Leaders and also a Government Accountability Office Senior Analyst for Strategic Issues.

I’ve added the emphasis because I still find it simply remarkable.

You can hear excerpts of that panel here.

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