Cynthia Mendoza

Dr. Cynthia J. Mendoza is the first Deputy Chief Information Officer for Special Access Programs, Information Technology (DCIO SAP IT), for the Department of Defense (DoD).

Bio and Featured Works

In this role she is responsible for leading the department’s efforts in modernizing capabilities, realizing efficiencies and strengthening cybersecurity across compartmented IT. Prior to becoming the DCIO SAP IT, she served as the Chief Technology Officer at the Bureau of Intelligence and Research (INR), U.S. Department of State. In that role she was responsible for advancing innovative technologies for use by a diverse set of global customers to connect intelligence producers and consumers in the advancement of National Security and U.S. Foreign Policy Objectives. Previously, she was the Acting Deputy Chief Information Officer (CIO) and the Intelligence Community (IC) Chief Architect at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI). In that capacity, Dr. Mendoza was responsible for advocating and leading the IC CIO in its modernization efforts within the IC Information Technology Enterprise (IC ITE), the IC Information Environment (IC IE), and ensuring the security and protection of the IC’s IT systems. Prior to this role, she served as the Director of the Architecture and Integration Division (AID) and IC Chief Architect for the Office of the IC CIO where she established and championed the Reference Architecture Framework (RAF). The RAF was used to develop, coordinate, and publish the scalable IC Enterprise Architecture (EA) baseline, evolution, and future plans driven by the community. The EA is currently used to define mission gaps, overlaps, critical linkages, and dependencies; and to drive interoperability and intelligence integration across the IC IE. Her service at the ODNI included a term as the Director of Requirements Analysis within the Office of Systems & Resource Analyses, Program and Requirements Division. In that position, she was the focal point for evaluating, guiding, and assessing IC system capability requirements necessary for Major System Acquisitions. Dr. Mendoza has served as the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency’s (NGA) Information Management Program (IMP) Advisor, Chief Engineer of the Agency, Director of the Architecture and Engineering Group, and the Deputy Director (DD) of the Strategic Planning Group within NGA’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) and IT Directorate (CIO-T). Dr. Mendoza also served as Director of the National Center for Geospatial-Intelligence (GEOINT) Standards and Director of the Acquisition Enterprise Support Program Office for Agency Support Services contracts. In those roles, she led highly diverse and complex teams that delivered an enterprise-wide Information Management Plan, merged three major component organizations, mapped enterprise capabilities to organizational portfolios, and transformed the IT apparatus for the Geospatial-Intelligence Management System (GIMS), the Integrated Analytic Environment (IAE) and major IT acquisition programs. Dr. Mendoza has more than 30 years of experience leading government and industry organizations; prior to her government service, she worked as Vice President of Operations for Galactic Technologies, Inc., in San Antonio, Texas, where she led industry and government contracts, including services to the Air Force Intelligence Agency. She holds a B.S. in Electrical Engineering from Texas A&M University, and an M.S. and Ph.D. in Systems Engineering and Engineering Management from the George Washington University. Dr. Mendoza has received numerous awards including the “2018 Pillar of Character” award from the Northside Independent School District, San Antonio, Texas, the 2007 “Outstanding Women at NGA” award, the 2008 “NGA Small Business Award,” and the “San Antonio Woman of the Year for Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Fundraising.” She also serves as the champion for the Hispanic Employee Program Council at NGA. A native of San Antonio, Texas, Dr. Mendoza has completed the Marine Corps Marathon and holds a second-degree black belt in Tae Kwon Do. She lives in Virginia with her family.