Where Industry and Security Intersect
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Dawn Leaf is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for the Bureau of Industry and Security (BIS) in the Department of Commerce. In this role, she directs development, implementation, and operation of the Bureau’s information systems. She also manages dissemination of information to the public via the web, computer facilities and equipment, and the application of Information Technology (IT) to improve Bureau processes and operations.
Prior to her appointment as the BIS CIO in August 2004, Ms. Leaf served as the Chief Technology Officer of the Smithsonian Institution, and as the Manager of System Architecture at the United States Patent and Trademark Office.
Before joining the federal government in 1999, Ms. Leaf acquired broad experience in IT management, advanced technology, and large scale distributed systems development and engineering. She served as the program manager for several National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) programs under contract.
Ms. Leaf’s foundation in Information Technology came from her 1981-1995 tenure with the Westinghouse Corporation. Highlights include the George Westinghouse Signature of Excellence Award, appointment as the IT Manager for the Oceanic sonar engineering and manufacturing facility, and Manager of Manufacturing Research & Development Programs.
Dawn Leaf holds an M.S. in Technical Management and Systems Engineering from the Johns Hopkins University, Whiting School of Engineering, and a B.S. from McDaniel College.