Mark Chatelain
December 2025
Chief Information Officer & Director, CIO-T Component
National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA)
February 2023
Mark Chatelain serves as the Chief Information Officer and Director of the Chief Information Officer & IT Services Component at the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. In this role, he leads the strategic direction and operational oversight of NGA’s enterprise IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, data libraries, and digital innovation initiatives.
A historic CIO appointment
Mark Chatelain became the CIO of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency in February 2023, marking the first time in nearly 10 years that NGA selected an internal candidate for the role. His promotion signals a strategic shift toward recognizing and elevating talent from within the organization, giving the workforce renewed confidence that long-term employees have pathways to senior leadership.
Mark Chatelain has been involved with NGA since 1986, providing him with decades of institutional knowledge and familiarity with the agency’s mission, culture, and operations.
Bachelor of Science, Electrical Engineering
Master of Science, Systems Engineering
DAWIA Level III certified
Member
Since Mark Chatelain assumed the CIO role, he has led a transformative era at NGA. The agency has accelerated modernization efforts, embracing multi-cloud architecture, advancing zero trust cybersecurity, and integrating artificial intelligence into mission-critical workflows.
These efforts are driven by a clear purpose: serving NGA’s partners with excellence and integrity.
Mark Chatelain has identified that one of NGA’s biggest challenges is not only cybersecurity but also the ability to find and develop the right people. The agency seeks individuals who can succeed in fast-paced environments and who understand NGA’s mission, culture, and geospatial intelligence technology.
Key initiatives:
Training programs: NGA has made strong investments in training covering DevOps, cloud services, and cybersecurity, often supported by partnerships with cloud service providers
Internship program: NGA employs freshmen, sophomores, juniors, seniors, and master’s candidates, providing them opportunities to obtain clearances, work on real missions, and receive full government employee benefits while in school
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Attribute
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Details
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Years with NGA |
Since 1986 (38+ years total; 19+ years as government employee) |
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Education |
BS Electrical Engineering (U. Washington), MS Systems Engineering (GWU) |
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Certifications |
DAWIA Level III Program Management, DoD Acquisition Corps Member |
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Deployments |
Afghanistan (2010, 2012) |
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Notable achievement |
First internal CIO appointment at NGA in nearly 10 years |
For contractors working with NGA or pursuing GEOINT opportunities:
Mark Chatelain’s focus on modernization creates opportunities in cloud architecture, AI/ML integration, zero trust cybersecurity, and enterprise data management. His emphasis on multi-cloud environments and DevOps training signals NGA’s procurement priorities.
Key contracting areas to watch:
His internal promotion also suggests NGA values contractors who demonstrate deep mission understanding and long-term commitment to the agency’s objectives.
