ROBERT H. DAVIDSON

Deputy CIO
Information Assurance

Robert H. Davidson was appointed the Department's first deputy chief information officer (DCIO) for Information Assurance in July 2001. Davidson had been acting in this position since April 2000. He also serves as the Department's chief infrastructure assurance officer.

Davidson is responsible for all aspects of the Department's information assurance and critical infrastructure protection programs. This includes protection of the Department's computer systems, such as the Department's financial systems, its major student aid databases, and its network and Internet web site to ensure that they adequately protect sensitive data.

Immediately after being named deputy, Davidson launched an effort to strengthen the security of the Department's information. He created groups to perform security analyses of all Department information systems, pursuant to Federal laws and OMB guidance. These groups include a Department-wide Information and Critical Infrastructure Protection steering committee, which is chaired by the deputy secretary and the chief information officer, and a set of related work groups. Davidson also strengthened OCIO's Information Assurance team and obtained significantly increased funding for Department-wide Information Assurance activities.

Since April 2001, Davidson has served on the Secretary's Management Improvement Team, leading Department-wide efforts to improve management performance and foster a Department-wide "culture of accountability."

Davidson has served in leadership roles for many Department efforts since the beginning of his career at the Department in 1976. He served as the Director of the Department's Year 2000 (Y2K) Project from January 1999 through March 2000. In that role, Davidson was responsible for coordinating the Department's successful efforts in assessing, renovating and verifying the Y2K readiness of all Department computer systems. In addition, he led major contingency planning and technical assistance efforts focusing on the Y2K readiness of the national education community. During this period, Congress consistently awarded an "A" to the Department for its Y2K efforts. During late 1998, Davidson also served on detail as director of Year 2000 Contingency Planning for the Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA).

As director of the Postsecondary Analysis Division, Budget Service, with the Office of the Undersecretary, Davidson was responsible for the development and presentation of the Department's annual budget request-to the Office of Management and Budget and Congress-for 42 postsecondary education programs that support the annual delivery of over $60 billion in assistance to students and postsecondary education institutions. He held that position from 1987 through 1998. During this period, Davidson led the development of numerous significant higher education initiatives-including student loan finance and delivery reforms, expansion of the Pell Grant and Federal Work-Study programs, consolidation of graduate fellowship programs, and development of the GEAR-UP and LAAP programs. He also led the development of higher education program strategic plans and performance measures pursuant to the Government Performance and Results Act of 1993. Before becoming director, he served as the division's Student Aid account lead and deputy directory.

From 1979 through 1981, Davidson served as special assistant to the deputy assistant secretary for OSFA, helping to coordinate both policy and operational aspects of the Department's student financial aid programs. From 1976 through 1978, Davidson served as a student aid policy analyst in OSFA, drafting regulatory and statutory provisions that reduced student loan defaults and strengthened student consumer protection requirements.

Before Davidson joined the Department, he worked for the Educational Testing Service on a congressionally mandated study of GI Bill educational benefits in 1973. In 1974, he completed a doctorate program internship as special assistant to the chancellor at the University of Maine. Davidson also served for three years in the U.S. Navy, where he was assigned to various administrative positions, including Captain's Yeoman and public affairs petty officer. While serving on the commissioning unit of USS John F. Kennedy in 1968, he created and administered the first accredited sea-going college "campus" in the Navy.

Davidson holds a Bachelor of Arts degree with honors from Dartmouth College with a major in Philosophy and a minor in Government. Davidson also has earned a Master of Public Administration degree from Syracuse University's Maxwell School of Citizenship and Public Affairs, where he completed additional graduate work and was admitted to candidacy for a Ph.D. in Public Administration and Higher Education in 1976. Davidson has completed numerous professional training courses, including: regulations writing, public speaking, writing and editing government documents, budget formulation and execution, and appropriations law. In 1996, he was a Council for Excellence in Government Fellow; and in 1999 he completed a Senior Executives leadership program at the John F. Kennedy School of Public Policy at Harvard University.

He is married to Betsy Davidson, a data systems project manager/consultant. They pursue foreign travel whenever possible. He also enjoys gardening and photography.