Obama Taps DC-Area Tech Leader as First US CTO

President Barack Obama has rounded out his panel of high-tech advisors, naming Aneesh Chopra, the state of Virginia’s secretary of technology, as the chief technology officer of the U.S. While not having the heft of a cabinet-level appointment, the newly created position is still seen as pivotal to many of the Obama administration’s initiatives.

Obama said in his Saturday radio address that Chopra’s focus will be on streamlining healthcare More about healthcare costs through better deployment of technology and on addressing cybersecurity issues. The position requires Senate approval.

His background suggests Chopra has the credentials to execute on 30,000-foot strategies. During his tenure as Virginia’s CTO he focused on operational issues as well as promoting the state’s IT economic development. Before he worked for the state, Chopra was managing director of the Advisory Board Company, heading its Financial Leadership Council and the Working Council for Health Plan Executives.

Chopra, who will also serve as the associate director of the White House Office of Science and Technology, joins Vivek Kundra, formerly the CTO of Washington, D.C., on the Obama team. Kundra is the first federal CIO. His position appears to be more far-reaching than Chopra’s, although there will likely be some overlap. Kundra has been charged with overseeing tech investments and tech spending in the government.

via Technology News: Technology: Obama Taps DC-Area Tech Leader as First US CTO.