(The following is excerpted from an interview I recently did for Defense Systems magazine)

With John Garing’s elevation from Defense Information Systems Agency chief information officer to director of strategic planning, Bobbie Stempfley has stepped into the CIO role. While Garing focuses on long-term strategy and developing program objectives within DISA’s budget, Stempfley has taken on what she calls the more finely defined role of managing the agency’s ongoing information technology operations. Defense Systems contributing editor Sean Gallagher spoke with Stempfley about her role at DISA and the top challenges she faces.

DS: How has the CIO role at DISA changed since you took over for Mr. Garing?

Stempfley: He’s been given a great opportunity to be an even more significant part of the agency’s leadership team. Influencing strategies for how to help in this time of receding budgets and increasing mission demand — it’s a really a great opportunity for a service provider. And John Garing has to be a part of helping us do that. So the role of the CIO is just more finely defined now than it was before. The strategic planning and the out year [program objective memorandum] development activity are where Mr. Garing is focusing, and are things he’ll be able to do. I’ll be focused on how the information and the technology support those activities. We still work very closely together, and we will continue to work closely together. But you can never lose sight of either problem.

For the full article, see DISA aims for smooth operations across business lines — Defense Systems.