Energy Department CIO Karen Evans will assume the government’s top IT position later this month when she takes over as administrator of e-government and IT at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). Evans replaces Mark Forman, who resigned in early August.
Evans is a 20-year veteran of government service with responsibilities ranging from GS-2 to SES, working with several agencies, including the National Park Services, the Office of Personnel Management, and the Farmers Home Administration of the Department of Agriculture.
At Energy. Evans is responsible for the design, implementation, and continuing operation of IT programs and initiatives throughout the department and its offices. Evans is also the vice-chairman of the Federal Chief Information Officers Council. Elected to the post in December 2002, she coordinates the Councils efforts in developing federal IT programs and improving agency information resource practices.
Before joining Energy, she was director of the Information Resources Management Division, Office of Justice Programs (OJP) at the Department of Justice. She was responsible for the management and operation of the IT program. Prior to joining OJP, she served as the assistant director for Information Services at DOJ headquarters, where she managed Internet resources for the department, including electronic mail services and security.
Forman was hired two years ago by President Bush to oversee the administration’s e-gov agenda, which proposes to make it easier for citizens and businesses to interact with the government, save taxpayer dollars, and streamline citizen-to-government transactions.
The program has had funding problems in Congress. The House Appropriations Committee is calling for only $1 million in 2004 funding for e-gov initiatives, which invests in inter-agency projects with government-wide applications. The Bush Administration requested $45 million for the program.
