NASA CIO Cureton Is Leaving NASA
NASA CIO Linda Cureton plans exit, FCW
NASA CIO Linda Cureton is retiring from government, FCW has learned. Cureton, a 2011 Federal 100 winner, has held her current position since September 2009. Cureton had alluded to her plans at the Oct. 24 GCN awards gala, where she was recognized as the Civilian IT Executive of the Year. At the time, however, she and her aides said that no firm decision had been made. “It had always been in my plan to either retire or change jobs… after the election,” Cureton told FCW when reached for comment. “Having been through transitions at the political level before, the timing to leave seemed appealing to me.”
We are seeing a lot of the better, more capable and experienced people leave since it looks like the next ten years is going to be slow, especially with the lack of leadership we’ve been seeing.
Why does she make it sound as if she is a political appointee when she is not. Her leaving has nothing to do with the political cycle. NASA has had so many IT issues over the last couple years not to mention the IT infrastructure and capibilities are years behind the curve. Maybe its time for a change?
Finally…now perhaps NASA will have the fortitude to hire a CIO who understands the complexity of a mission environment. Cureton wouldn’t know a spacecraft if it hit her in the head. And, she does not understand how to manage IT security from a risk perspective. Full of platitudes and cliches, I am confident that she will be successful peddling her “poor little me” CIO self somewhere looking for fluff and not substance.
It is always interesting to me that when there is a serious problem at NASA, the manager(s) responsible decide it is time to retire. The handwriting was on the wall for Ms. Cureton to retire rather than being fired.