The Defense Department today named Robert Cardillo as the next director of the National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency. Cardillo will assume the post in October from Letitia Long, who announced plans to retire in a letter to NGA employees earlier today.
“Tish Long and Robert Cardillo both have led the transformation of intelligence to address the complex global strategic challenges we face as a nation,” Mike Vickers, undersecretary of defense for intelligence, said in a statement. “They both have ensured intelligence is relevant to the needs of its important customers – from the president to the warfighter. I congratulate Tish on her successful tenure and very much look forward to having Robert’s leadership and talent for the important work ahead at NGA.”
Cardillo currently serves as the deputy director of national intelligence for intelligence integration and is a former deputy director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA). He is also a former director of analysis and production at NGA and began his career as an imagery analyst in 1983.
Long began her federal career 35 years ago as a Navy engineer. She took the helm of NGA in 2010 and has been credited with transforming the agency from a provider of static mapping products to a geospatial intelligence services provider. Under Long’s leadership, NGA launched a series of new products and services, including its “Map of the World,” which for the first time presents an integrated view of collection assets from across the intelligence community; mapping information for military operations; geospatial intelligence observations; and NGA analytic products, data and models. Under Long’s leadership, the agency also received high marks for its support to FEMA and other domestic agencies during recent natural disasters.
“We set a new vision for the agency and worked tirelessly to implement it, while continuing to provide the critical geospatial intelligence that our military and civilian partners have come to expect from NGA. It is an honor and a privilege to serve with you,” Long wrote in a memo that was posted on NGA’s website. “Now I want to share with you my decision to retire. The time is right for me, my family, and for the agency,” Long wrote.
“As someone who began my career as a member of the NGA family, I am excited to have the privilege to build on the progress NGA has made under Tish’s leadership,” Cardillo said in a statement. “As much I’ve enjoyed working with the [Director of National Intelligence] to help him integrate our [intelligence community], I look forward to teaming with the talented men and women of NGA as we continue to improve our analytic service to NGA’s wide-range of military and civilian customers.”
