Join the Homeland Security and Defense Forum on April 11th for a roundtable discussion with Ms. Kristin Ruiz, Deputy Chief Information Officer at the Transportation Security Administration (TSA). The discussion will highlight the modernization journey for TSA, efforts to create a more data-driven organization, near-term and long-term technology priorities, and how industry can be a better partner in these efforts. To RSVP, please contact rsvp@hsdf.org.
About the career of Ms. Kristin Ruiz
Kristin Ruiz was appointed as the Deputy Chief Information Officer for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) on April 23rd, 2023. In this role, Ms. Ruiz is responsible for coordinating, planning, developing, and evaluating information technology (IT) resources, including overseeing a variety of IT enterprise infrastructure, architecture, security systems, telecommunications, and e-Government and investment reviews.
Ms. Ruiz is a driven, mission-focused IT leader with over 20 years of experience in technology, digital transformation, application development, and Cybersecurity compliance. She has built, modernized, and overseen more than 300 secure, innovative, user-friendly applications throughout her career. Ms. Ruiz is an expert in leading comprehensive enterprise-wide IT portfolio strategy and management and has a proven track record of translating technology strategies into effective actions.
Before joining TSA, Ms. Ruiz served as the first Associate Chief Information Officer (ACIO) for the Office of Applications and Digital Solutions at the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT). As ACIO of the Office of Applications and Digital Solutions, Ms. Ruiz led the implementation of the $3 Billion Aviation Manufacturing Jobs Protection (AMJP) Program grants solution and DOT’s $600 Billion Bipartisan Infrastructure Law (BIL) website and enterprise grants management system. Ms. Ruiz pioneered a brand-new office setting the vision, direction, and organizational culture for DOT’s digital transformation with a focus on the following IT competencies: Agile System Development Lifecycle (SDLC); Development, Security, and Operations (DevSecOps); Cybersecurity; operations and maintenance; and capital planning investment control. Additionally, Ms. Ruiz led DOT’s application rationalization efforts to achieve economies of scale and managed DOT’s accessibility program, website development, and managed the entirety the DOT’s mandatory use Software Engineering Support (SWES) Blanket Purchase Agreement (BPA), overseeing the successful award of over $375 Million.
Before joining DOT, Ms. Ruiz served as the IT Portfolio Management Director for the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Food Nutrition and Consumer Services (FNCS), where she managed and executed the FNCS applications, operations, and maintenance budget supporting the Supplemental Nutrition Program (SNAP) (formerly food stamps) applications handling $85+B with 50+M program recipients, and Women Infants and Children (WIC) applications providing nutritional assistance to millions of families, school lunch in 95,000 schools, and systems providing food to Americans during disasters.
Ms. Ruiz is a United States Marine Corps veteran and a George Mason University Alumni. She holds a Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and is a Level III Program Manager and Contracting Officer’s Representative (COR) certified by the Federal Acquisition Institute.
