FedRAMP board launched to support safe, secure use of cloud services in government

The U.S. General Services Administration has announced a new board that will serve as the official governing body for the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program (FedRAMP), replacing the Joint Authorization Board (JAB).

The FedRAMP program’s commitment is to make it safe and easy for the U.S. government to take full advantage of cloud services to help agencies deliver on their missions.

“The new board brings a wealth of technology, cybersecurity, and engineering expertise from federal agency executives who will work to champion the vision of FedRAMP and make that vision successful,” said Eric Mill, GSA’s executive director for cloud strategy. “The board will approve and help guide FedRAMP policies, bring together the federal community to create a robust authorization ecosystem, and be a critical partner to the FedRAMP program in our shared goal of a more streamlined customer experience and stronger federal cybersecurity.”

The Office of Management and Budget established the FedRAMP Board and appointed the inaugural board members under the FY23 National Defense Authorization Act. “The FedRAMP Board intentionally comprises members from across government, bringing diverse perspectives from the frontlines of cyber and IT modernization efforts,” stated Deputy Federal Chief Information Officer Drew Myklegard. “By harnessing their collective expertise, the board will play a vital role in adapting the FedRAMP Program to address the evolving cyber landscape and enable the accelerated adoption of secure cloud technologies across the government.”

The inaugural board members are:

• Hemant Baidwan, Chief Information Security Officer, Department of Homeland Security. “I am pleased and excited to serve as an inaugural member of the new FedRAMP Board. Continuing DHS’s valuable contributions to the FedRAMP program, I look forward to working together with a broader representation of government agencies to establish government-wide security requirements, guidelines, and best practices as we play our part in FedRAMP’s valuable effort to provide secure cloud services, accelerate authorization processes, and improve the transparency and trust between agencies and with our service providers.”
• David McKeown, Senior Information Security Officer and Deputy Chief Information Officer for Cybersecurity, Department of Defense. “I am honored to join the newly established FedRAMP Board. FedRAMP is an important program for the U.S. government and a critical foundation for the Department of Defense’s cloud authorization program. I look forward to joining my fellow board members and contributing to this important program that ensures the U.S. government has an efficient and standardized process for accessing innovative and secure products and services.”
• Carrie Lee, Deputy Chief Information Officer, Department of Veterans Affairs. “I am deeply honored to join the FedRAMP Board and be part of the important evolution of FedRAMP’s implementation to address today’s cloud-based ecosystem. At VA, we have a sacred promise to protect our Veterans’ information, while providing innovative digital solutions. I am eager to work with my colleagues across the federal government to create a stronger and more secure technology environment.”
• Venice Goodwine, Chief Information Officer, Department of the Air Force. “I’m honored to join the FedRAMP Board along with my fellow CIO peers. FedRAMP’s mission to protect federal data and accelerate the adoption of secure cloud solutions is more important now than ever in a contested information environment. Delivering secure cloud services to Airmen and Guardians at the tactical edge is a mission imperative. Equally important is leveraging the cloud to modernize legacy applications.”
• Christopher Butera, Senior Technical Director for Cybersecurity Division, Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency. “I am honored and excited to collaborate with my fellow board members to promote the adoption of cloud services that meet agency needs and are Secure by Design.”
• Sylvia Burns, Chief Information Officer and Chief Privacy Officer, Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation. “It’s an honor to serve on the FedRAMP Board to help bridge the needs of the federal government and the capabilities of the technology industry in delivering secure, modern technologies that meet the government’s mission to the American public.”
• Bo Berlas, Chief Information Security Officer, U.S. General Services Administration. “I look forward to collaborating with fellow board members and our stakeholders in realizing opportunities to modernize the program and help expand the secure and efficient adoption of cloud technologies in government.”

The initial focus of the board is to ensure a smooth transition from the JAB and any work in progress. The board is also focused on defining metrics for the program, engaging with agencies to perform joint-agency and single-agency authorizations, and working with FedRAMP to continuously monitor FedRAMP-authorized cloud products and services.

For more information about FedRAMP, please visit fedramp.gov.

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