White House Reboots Its Tech Staff

A number of moves this week: The White House announced its intention for Danny Marti to be its new piracy guru, departing national CTO Todd Park will return to Silicon Valley, but keep working for the government, Google X’s Megan Smith is said to be a top contender for the nation’s CTO role, and former FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski will sit on the Intelligence Advisory Board.

Marti’s role as the next Intellectual Property Enforcement Coordinator will see him fill a role that has been vacant for around a year. MPAA chief Chris Dodd praised the choice. Make of that what you will.

Park will bounce around Silicon Valley to be what appears to be a recruiter-at-large. After Google’s Mikey Dickerson helped save the Healthcare.gov website, he said the following: “It was only when they were desperate that they turned to us…. They have no use for someone who looks and dresses like me. Maybe this will be a lesson for them. Maybe that will change.”

The White House cited Dickerson directly in its post about Park’s new role.

Now that Park is out, it could be that Google’s Megan Smith will take over the CTO role. So far, the government and Google have declined to comment. Smith works for Google X, the company’s division that is responsible for its more outlandish, and interesting products and efforts.

And finally, former FCC Chairman Genachowski will pick up a job helping to look over the nation’s intelligence apparatus.

There, now you are all set for a long weekend. To the lake!

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