Dawn Leaf retires as Labor CIO

Dawn Leaf, who has served as the Department of Labor CIO since 2014, is retiring from the federal government. She announced her retirement on Sept. 5 and her last day on the job is Sept. 30. Leaf told FCW in an email that after a 35-year career in the public and private sectors, she wanted to spend more time with family and on personal interests.

Leaf earned Federal 100 honors in 2014, in part for her leadership (first as deputy CIO then as CIO) on Department of Labor IT modernization and consolidation. Under the plan, Labor has shifted nine legacy email systems to a single cloud-based service, and moved its human resources to a federal shared service system. Additionally, the agency has made some gains in data center consolidation. Next up, according to budget documents, is a move to unified communications, which is expected to yield annual savings of $20 million.

Leaf also is known as an early and enthusiastic backer of cloud computing in the federal space. She joined DOL after a stint as a senior advisor on cloud issues at the National Institute for Standards and Technology. Leaf has also served as deputy CIO and CTO at the Department of Commerce, CIO of the Bureau of Industry and Security and as CTO of the Smithsonian Institution.

Labor's deputy CIO Gundeep Ahluwalia will take over after Leaf departs. Ahluwalia joined DOL in August.