Charlie Armstrong

Charlie Armstrong serves as Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) Chief Information Officer (CIO).  Mr. Armstrong assumed the role of CIO in November 2022 and is the executive authority on the proper utilization of all Information Technology (IT) products and services vital to carrying out FEMA’s mission for both disaster survivors and FEMA employees. This includes providing secure IT capabilities so that FEMA IT is “always ready” to support stakeholders and workforce. As the senior IT professional, Mr. Armstrong leads enterprise-wide IT programs and initiatives and oversees the operations and maintenance of FEMA information systems, networks, and critical IT infrastructure. In addition, he provides leadership and direction for an IT workforce of over 1,000 government and contractor employees to successfully deliver FEMA’s mission.

Mr. Armstrong began his federal career in 1983 developing software for the Department of Navy, Naval Military Personnel Command.  In 1988 he transitioned into the Department of the Treasury, U.S. Customs Service before merging into the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) in 2003.  From 2005 – 2008 he served as the DHS Deputy CIO before being appointed the CIO for U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) from 2008 – 2016. Charlie served as both Assistant Commissioner and CIO for the Office of Information Technology.  At CBP he managed a $1.2B IT spend and over 2,800 employees.  In 2016 he retired from Federal Service and worked in the private sector, leading his own consulting firm, and championing the improvement of Cyber Security, Cloud Migration, Network Modernization, Automation of IT Service Delivery, Biometrics and applying technology to enhance mission delivery.

Charlie is an alumnus of Old Dominion University with a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and a Master’s Certificate in Management from National Louis University.  He is a Harvard Senior Executive Fellow and a graduate of GSA’s Strategic and Tactical Advocates for Results (STAR) Program.  His special interests in the technology security field led him to pursue credentials as a Certified Information System Security Professional (CISSP).