Report to the Board: IT Systems Expert Panel Report

Summary: The Board appointed an expert panel in the fall of 2019 to review Social Security’s efforts to modernize its IT, which is essential to delivering effective service to the public. The Panel, chaired by Alan Balutis, PhD, and composed of distinguished and experienced experts, completed a detailed examination of Social Security’s IT Modernization Plan, including stakeholder interviews with representatives from state and federal agencies, advocacy groups, and systems end-users. As part of its assessment, the Panel also consulted Social Security Administration executives for updates on modernization progress and shared insights and guidance to help the agency achieve its goals.

The Panel’s report, entitled “Essential Changes Imperative for the Success of Social Security’s IT Modernization and Future Operations,” includes recommendations in four key areas: operating model, governance infrastructure, IT modernization strategy, and customer experience.

Key Documents

Final Report IT Systems Panel Executive Summary

Public Presentation Webinar, January 29, 2021

Public presentation by the
IT Systems Expert Panel of its final report:
“Essential Changes Imperative for the Success of
Social Security’s IT Modernization and Future Operations”

January 29, 2021

11:00 am – 12:30 pm

Public Presentation

Panel Members

Alan Balutis, Chair, is a Distinguished Fellow and Senior Director of North American Public Sector Cisco Systems’ Business Solutions Group. He served over 30 years in public service and industry leadership role, is a founding member of the Federal Chief Information (CIO) Officers Council and was the first CIO at the Department of Commerce.

Dan Chenok is Executive Director of the IBM Center for the Business of Government, a Strategic Advisors to Government Executives (SAGE) CIO with the Partnership for Public Service, Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration (NAPA), and Chair of the Cybersecurity Subcommittee of the Department of Homeland Security’s (DHS) Data Privacy and Integrity Advisory Committee.

Nani A. Coloretti is the Senior Vice President for Financial and Business Strategy at the Urban Institute. Formerly serving as Deputy Secretary of the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, she also served as the Assistant Secretary for Management at the Department of the Treasury.

Renato (“Renny”) A. DiPentima serves on the Boards of Directors of Cap Gemini Government Solutions, Amida Technology Solutions, iNovex Information Systems, and Gunnison Consulting Group, as well as the Advisory Board at Blue Delta Capital Partners. He is a former Social Security Administration Deputy Commissioner and CIO.

Martha Dorris has over thirty years of federal government experience in information technology acquisition roles, ranging from technical and program management to customer and citizen experience. She was Deputy Associate Administrator for GSA’s Office of Citizen Services and Innovative Technologies for over 13 years and now works with government and industry to improve customer experience.

William (Bill) D. Eggers is the Executive Director of Deloitte’s Center for Government Insights where Eggers is responsible for the firm’s public sector thought leadership. Eggers’ newest book is Delivering on Digital: The Innovators and Technologies that are Transforming Government (Deloitte Insights, 2016).

Mark Alan Forman is currently Vice President, Digital Government Strategy at SAIC Corp and was the first administrator at the Office of E- Government and Information Technology– the first person in the federal government to fulfill responsibilities normally associated with a corporate CIO. Forman has over 30 years of experience in successful government modernization initiatives.

Greg Giddens is a partner with Potomac Ridge Consulting, a SAGE Chief Acquisition Officer with the Partnership for Public Service, a NAPA Fellow, and a member of National Contract Management Association Board of Advisors. Giddens previously served as Chief Acquisition Officer for Veterans Affairs and has over 36 years of federal service, including the DHS and the Department of Defense.

Dave McClure is a leader of transformational IT initiatives at Accenture Federal Services. McClure led the design and implementation of FedRAMP, the federal security authorization process for Cloud computing products and services, which is the most significant security authorization process of its kind, worldwide.

Jim Williams is a partner in Schambach & Williams Consulting, LLC and has thirty plus years of successful federal government experience designing, building, delivering, and running outstanding critical and transformational programs, as well as acquisition operations in several government agencies. He served as a senior executive for over 18 years in several government organizations.