Scott Blackburn, acting deputy secretary at the Department of Veterans Affairs, has been appointed to serve as VA’s chief information officer and assistant secretary for information and technology on an interim basis, Federal News Radio reported Wednesday.
Blackburn will succeed Rob Thomas, who is due to retire in October after more than 35 years of federal government service.
Thomas was named CIO of the department when LaVerne Council left the post in January due to the change in administration.
Blackburn joined VA in 2014 and led the MyVA Task Force with the goal to optimize customer service for the country’s military veterans.
He served as a partner at management consulting firm McKinsey and Company, where he supported customers’ transformational change programs in areas such as manufacturing, purchasing, organizational design, leadership development, supply chain and others.