Chief Information Officer, Department of Housing and Urban Development
Rafael C. Diaz is an information technology management executive with extensive government and corporate experience. Mr. Diaz’s over 20 years’ proficiency in leading comprehensive information technology (IT) initiatives demonstrate his proven leadership and his ability to excel as a pivotal business partner who provides critical insights and leadership to the executive team. Mr. Diaz’ core competencies include: management information system development, cyber security, risk management, strategic planning, and policy development.
Mr. Diaz is currently the Chief Information Officer (CIO) at the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). In the last 24 months, he has ushered in a series of transformational initiatives that are allowing HUD to take advantage of cloud solutions, mobile technology, and digital services while enhancing the agency’s enterprise architecture and cyber security posture. Mr. Diaz has redefined how IT gets done at HUD and has helped department program offices to leverage key technical capabilities to enhance innovation and customer service. He was selected to participate in and graduate from the “Presidents Leadership Workshop.”
During his tenure at the State of Illinois, Mr. Diaz served as the state CIO for two State agencies – Central Management Services and Human Services. His roles in Illinois included State Chief Cyber Security Advisor and State Chief Information Security Officer. As State CISO, he was awarded multiple security grants through the Department of Homeland Security for the State of Illinois and initiated the cyber security committee in the Illinois Terrorism Task Force to enhance the state’s cyber security posture.
Mr. Diaz led numerous boards and committees on both a state-wide and national level with the MS-ISAC, DHS, NASCIO, Chicago CISO Council, and the Digital Government Summit. He is a frequently invited speaker at conferences and events pertaining to cyber security and IT issues.
Mr. Diaz served his country as a U.S. Marine and as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army. He received his baccalaureate degree in biology and chemistry and served as an expert qualified forensic scientist with the Chicago Police Department. His corporate experience includes work with Accenture and Deloitte.