The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has appointed Jose Arrieta as the new agency CIO. He was previously associate deputy secretary of acquisition at HHS.
Arrieta, who starts in the new position today, is a vocal proponent of blockchain technology, and helped to lead creation of the HHS Accelerate blockchain for acquisition. Arrieta also works as an adjunct professor at Johns Hopkins University on the topic of blockchain and entrepreneurial finance.
Prior to his time at HHS, Arrieta worked at the General Services Administration as the director of IT Schedule 70 Contract Operations, and as the director of the Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization at the Department of the Treasury.
“Mr. Arrieta will provide leadership and oversight of the Department’s IT systems and security activities. As the head of the Office of the Chief Information Officer, he will lead our Department’s efforts in developing and implementing the Department’s IT policies, managing high priority projects, and planning strategic IT investments,” the department said in a statement to MeriTalk.
Arrieta takes over the CIO role from Ed Simcox, CTO at HHS, who had been acting CIO since August 2018. Simcox will continue on as HHS CTO.