During times of change, governments need innovative, strategic leadership more than ever. This is where inspirational figures like Zeke Maldonado come into play. Maldonado serves as the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for Intelligence & Analysis (I&A) within the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS). With nine years of private sector experience and over 18 years of experience supporting the US Navy, Maldonado developed a profound appreciation for using intelligence to defend the nation and gained a deep understanding of the intelligence community (IC).
When considering his next career move, Maldonado sought to expand his portfolio and knowledge. All this while remaining deeply involved in both intelligence and technology. “That left me with quite a small window,” he recalls. “There were a few options with upward mobility for intel-specific roles within other agencies, but having focused on military intelligence systems for so long, DHS’s unique mission of protecting the US border intrigued me. As the CIO, I knew I’d get to learn, support, and grow the Homeland Security aspect of the federal government. In the new role I have one foot in DHS and one foot in the IC, making this the perfect landing spot to continue doing what I love and influencing the intelligence community. It’s an ideal match.”
Levelling up technology
The intelligence community created the Intelligence Community Information Technology Environment (IC ITE) two decades ago to integrate systems and facilitate data and information sharing between departments. Many of those concepts still apply today and Maldonado has taken them to the next level. “We need to make IT decisions with high return on investments and understand the total cost of ownership to build, deploy, and secure systems under a new cloud-based infrastructure,” he explains. “A major benefit of shifting to the cloud is the cost-sharing perspective, as opposed to each department sustaining and maintaining its own servers.”
Maldonado’s strategy centers around five key areas:
- Investment management
- Digital transformation
- Data utilisation
- Cybersecurity
- Talent management
“Our drivers are different,” says Maldonado. “What drives me is the fact that I get to do something worthwhile that protects our equities and keeps America safe. It may sound cliche, but that’s the reason a lot of us do this. It’s a fascinating world, and a very vulnerable one. At any given moment, the securities and comforts we have can be lost if we don’t protect them.”
Drivers for 2025
At the Homeland Security and Defense Forum in February, Maldonado shared his priorities and thoughts on the department’s initiatives to drive innovation and improve IT and data services to support I&A’s needs. The initiatives for 2025 include:
- Enhancing classified screening, vetting, and watchlist capabilities.
- Automating intelligent searches for I&A and the DHS Intelligence Enterprise.
- Enhancing intelligence collection and dissemination capabilities, including implementing Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI).
- Modernising the Top Secret Data Hub.
Maldonado’s team is also focused on Cyber Security Readiness and other data service projects that support I&A’s operational needs. This includes an analytics capability called ‘Periscope,’ modernisation of the Watchlist Framework application, and the implementation of GenAI in various areas.