HHS deputy CIO given Vanguard Award

John Teeter, deputy CIO at the Health and Human Services Department, received the Government Technology Research Alliance’s Vanguard Award for his work at the department through the years, the group announced June 26.

GTRA pointed to his efforts to increase efficiency, interoperability and information-sharing throughout his 27-year career at HHS. His accomplishments include a federated approach for programs in the Office of the CIO along with HHS program integration within the OCIO. He has also supported e-government initiatives in light of the department’s mission.

Mary Forbes, chief architect at HHS, said Teeter is “a visionary and change-agent” with a passion for enterprise architecture.

“He addresses each new business requirement or mandate as an opportunity to achieve the mission and advance the enterprise,” she said.

Parham Eftekhari, director of research and co-founder of GTRA, said Teeter is respected for his efforts to help the government provide health care.

“John Teeter is not only widely respected in the community as one of the most innovative minds in architecture and information technology, but is admired by peers for his genuine desire to serve his country and those he interacts with in order to improve the government’s ability to provide services to citizens, warfighters, and veterans alike,” Eftekhari said.

The annual GTRA Vanguard Award goes to an exceptional government IT leader who has made significant contributions to his or her department, the federal IT community as a whole, and to GTRA. Recipients are selected based on a combination of factors, including service to the government, notable accomplishments positively affecting their organization, and feedback from coworkers and superiors.