Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) Director Jen Easterly has announced the selection of Dr. Elizabeth Kolmstetter as the agency’s new Chief People Officer. Dr. Kolmstetter joins CISA from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) headquarters in Washington, D.C. where she served as the Director of the Workforce Engagement Division.
“I am thrilled to announced that we have hired Dr. Elizabeth Kolmstetter as our new and first-ever Chief People Officer,” said Director Easterly. “Her extensive experience in innovating talent management programs that support employee engagement, development, and collaboration make her an ideal executive to lead our important work to build an enduring ‘People First’ culture at CISA.”
“To say I am excited to join the team at CISA is putting it lightly,” said incoming Chief People Officer Elizabeth Kolmstetter. “I am beyond thrilled to join CISA and that’s true for three exciting reasons. First, the purpose of CISA is remarkable; there is no mission more critical for our national security. I have cared deeply about infrastructure security since my time at TSA and cybersecurity from my early work on the Comprehensive National Cybersecurity Initiative at ODNI. Second, in a word, people. Jen is a leader with vision and drive and has built a strong leadership team and really cares about the people of CISA and across the cybersecurity partnership. And third, passion. I am passionate about my work and am energized by the focus of this role on people and culture strategy. I am truly looking forward to working with the great team at CISA.”
Dr. Kolmstetter is an Industrial and Organizational (IO) Psychologist and has been a member of the Senior Executive Service for 13 years. Dr. Kolmstetter has more than twenty years of public service in which she has pioneered innovative talent management programs across seven agencies: National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA), Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI), Office of the Director of National Intelligence (ODNI), Transportation Security Administration (TSA), and National Skill Standards Board/Department of Labor. In addition, Dr. Kolmstetter was selected to serve on special assignment in 2015 to the Executive Office of the President as a Senior Policy Advisor in the Office of Performance and Personnel Management at OMB.
She received her Ph.D. and M.S. in Industrial and Organizational (IO) Psychology from Virginia Tech and her B.A. in Psychology and Computer Science from Hollins University. She and husband, Michael, are the proud parents of twins Miles and Nicole (now 23).
