NARA Notice 2016-044: Departure of John Fitzpatrick, Director of Information Security Oversight

NARA Notice 2016-044: Departure of John Fitzpatrick, Director of Information Security Oversight

This is a notice to all NARA employees.
Attention supervisors: If you have employees who do not have access to a computer, please ensure that those employees receive a copy of this notice. This includes employees on LWOP or paid leave.
After more than four years of exceptional service to the National Archives, John Fitzpatrick, Director of the Information Security Oversight Office (ISOO), has been selected to join the National Security Council Staff in the Executive Office of the President.
Beginning January 11, 2016, John will serve as the Senior Director for Records Access and Information Security Management. There he will assist the Executive Office of the President with a portfolio of federal information security policies for classified and controlled unclassified information (classification, declassification, safeguarding, etc.), the National Industrial Security Program, and other related security efforts. John will also direct the staff who preserve, safeguard, review, and help release NSC records under the Freedom of Information Act automatic declassification and the like. John will remain a close partner of NARA's, working with ISOO, the National Declassification Center (NDC), and the Presidential Materials Staff to ensure awareness and integration of their efforts with Administration priorities. This is a unique opportunity in Government that clearly aligns with his background, and I wish John the very best of luck in his new role.
John led ISOO in carrying out the President's programs to improve transparency, openness, and access to information while ensuring that classified national security information is properly protected. He served as Executive Agent for the Government-wide Controlled Unclassified Information (CUI) program, which will publish its implementing directive early this year. He served as Executive Secretary of the Public Interest Declassification Board, contributing advice and expertise as the Board made recommendations to the President for improvements to the nation's classification system. In this and other efforts, he worked to include all affected parts of NARA. John led rigorous outreach activities among both the civil society groups on transparency initiatives and with cleared contractors on National Industrial Security Program changes, particularly those regarding Government-wide Insider Threat policy. Following the Washington Navy Yard tragedy, he served on the President's 120-Day Review of security clearance and suitability programs. And following the OPM data breaches last year, he served on the Administration's 90-Day Review team examining the future of federal background investigation capabilities.
As a NARA employee, John was particularly taken with the opportunity to work in an environment surrounded by the historical records and artifacts of our nation. He is fond of saying he found his "inner archivist" while working with, and acknowledging the expertise of, NARA's exceptional workforce. He will miss that, and all of you.
William (Bill) Cira, Associate Director of ISOO for Classification Management, will serve as Acting Director for ISOO until a permanent hire is made. Bill is located in room 100 at Archives I and can be reached at 202-357-5323 or william.cira@nara.gov.
Please join me in congratulating John on this exciting opportunity and in thanking him for his outstanding service to NARA.
DAVID S. FERRIERO
Archivist of the United States