Cordell Schachter

Cordell Schachter was sworn in as Chief Information Officer of the U.S. Department of Transportation on August 30, 2021. He serves as principal advisor to the Secretary of Transportation and to the leadership of DOT Operating Administrations on matters involving information technology (IT) and information assurance including cybersecurity and privacy.  He leads DOT’s Office of the Chief Information Officer (OCIO) and its collaborative teams and dedicated personnel responsible for the projects and services required to meet DOT’s strategic goals and mission “to deliver the world’s leading transportation system, serving the American people and economy through the safe, efficient, sustainable, and equitable movement of people and goods.”

Cordell and OCIO oversee the Department’s IT portfolio and its $3.5 billion in annual spending. They ensure all IT projects and investments are planned and implemented according to government best practices. They lead the department’s efforts to transform DOT by creating smart technology solutions, promoting innovation, and strengthening DOT’s cybersecurity, in accordance with the Federal Information Technology Acquisition Reform Act (FITARA), the Federal Information Security Management Act (FISMA), other laws, and executive orders in support of DOT’s mission.

Previously, Cordell served as the New York City Department of Transportation’s (NYC DOT) Chief Technology Officer and CIO for over 13 years and served in NYC government for a total of 26 years in a variety of roles. He led NYC DOT teams to innovate services and improve accessibility of New York City's physical infrastructure of roads, bridges, sidewalks, and transportation technologies, and to launch new mobility such as Bike Share and e-Scooter Share. The teams also improved the NYC’s virtual infrastructure of digital services for inspections, permitting, mapping, data, communications, and economic development.  They responded to crises by maintaining and transforming services during the rapid restoration after Superstorm Sandy and a by making a quick transition to telework and implementing Open Restaurants during the NYC’s Covid-19 pandemic response.

Cordell also worked in leadership positions at several IT companies and was elected to NYC’s largest community school board overseeing 50,000 K-8 students where he served as president and secretary. He created and taught the masters level course "Civic Technology for Innovation" at NYU and at Saint Peter’s University in Jersey City, NJ. He’s is a certified project manager and holds an MS in Management from NYU's Wagner School of Public Service, and a BA in Economics from SUNY Buffalo. He served on the board of directors of ITS America, served on Hunter College’s Computer Science Advisory Board, and serves on SUNY Buffalo’s College of Arts & Sciences Dean’s Advisory Council.