Gallagher moves to DHS to help implement HSPD-12

Deborah Gallagher, former chief technology officer at the Defense Department’s Access Card Office, moved to the Homeland Security Department at the end of November.A DHS spokesman confirmed that Gallagher is working in the agency’s Office of the Chief Information Officer to help implement Homeland Security Presidential Directive 12.Gallagher played a key role in DOD’s Common Access Card program. The department has issued more than 13 million of the secure identification cards. DOD officials have said that in March 2008, they will begin replacing CACs with cards that comply with HSPD-12.In contrast, DHS has made little progress toward complying with HSPD-12, according to the IDManagement.gov Web site. The agency has not created quarterly reports so there is no way to know how many cards it has issued, and a recent inspector general report states that DHS hasn’t managed the program well.DHS was one of four departments for which the Office of Management and Budget granted an extension of the HSPD-12 deadline. Most agencies have until Oct. 27, 2008, to fully implement the smart card program. DHS officials said they would implement 80 percent of the program by December 2008 and the other 20 percent by 2010. The agency brought in Gallagher to help push the program forward, industry experts said.“Deb has tremendous knowledge of DOD and its smart cards and identity programs so hopefully she will be a good influence at DHS in implementing the HSPD-12 program in superior manner,” said Neville Pattinson, vice president of government affairs and standards at digital security firm Gemalto.