Megan Smith, former Google Vice President (and who, as of 10:30 am Monday, has yet to be verified on Twitter!), will be America's new Chief Technology Officer. President Barack Obama made the announcement on Friday. This makes Smith our country's first female CTO.
"Megan has spent her career leading talented teams and taking cutting-edge technology and innovation initiatives from concept to design to deployment,” President Obama said in a written statement. “I am confident that in her new role as America’s Chief Technology Officer, she will put her long record of leadership and exceptional skills to work on behalf of the American people. I am grateful for her commitment to serve."
Now based in Washington DC, Smith spent much of her time in San Francisco as Google[x] Vice President, working on such projects as "SolveForX" and the company’s “WomenTechmakers” tech-diversity initiative. She is also married to esteemed Re/code executive editor Kara Swisher (alas, the two are currently separated).
Swiping a second slice of the Bay Area tech galette, Obama also selected Alexander Macgillivray, former General Counsel and Head of Public Policy at Twitter, as Deputy CTO.
"I look forward to working with [Smith] and with our new Deputy U.S. CTO, Alexander Macgillivray, in the weeks and months ahead," beamed Obama.