Top Pentagon IT official departs deputy CIO role
Lily Zekele, then defense deputy CIO for information environment, briefs reporters about a Pentagon cloud program alongside U.S. Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Skinner in December 2022. U.S. Navy Petty Officer 2nd Class Alexander Kubitza/DOD
Lily Zeleke will be taking over “new responsibilities” at the agency, though it’s still unknown what her new position is.
The Pentagon’s deputy chief information officer for enterprise IT, Lily Zeleke, is no longer in her position as of Thursday night, according to a Thursday email sent to the DOD CIO team and obtained by Nextgov/FCW.
Tim Gorman, a Pentagon spokesperson, confirmed with Nextgov/FCW that Zeleke “took over new responsibilities in the Department of Defense Chief Information Officer organization,” and that William Dunlap is now serving as the deputy CIO in an acting capacity. Dunlap is already listed on the department’s website as the acting deputy CIO for information enterprise.
Zeleke had held the position since December 2022, according to her LinkedIn profile, which does not list other work experience. She did not immediately return a request for comment.
“Ms. Lily Zeleke is moving to a new role and Mr. Bill Dunlap will be the Acting D/CIO, IE while we work to permanently fill the position,” the email read.
DOD did not immediately respond to questions about the specifics of Zeleke’s new role or why she moved positions.
Zeleke’s departure isn’t the only recent changeup in the DOD’s CIO shop. In October 2023, Frederick Moorefield, who was at the time the deputy CIO for command, control and communications, was charged with promoting and furthering animal fighting ventures.