Rachelle Henderson
CIO, Immigration and Customs Enforcement
U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS)
Rachelle Henderson is the Chief Information Officer (CIO) for U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). The Office of the CIO (OCIO) provides mission-critical Information Technology (IT) services and products that enable ICE and DHS to meet their respective missions. OCIO has modernized vital IT systems, matured the organization to contemporary IT management disciplines, and significantly enhanced the cyber defense posture of the enterprise.
Ms. Henderson started her career as a software developer supporting the U.S. Department of State before joining the U.S. Customs Service where she performed technical and team leadership roles. After the creation of Customs and Border Protection (CBP), she led the Branch responsible for United States Border Patrol (USBP) and Air and Marine Operations (AMO) enforcement systems modernization. After almost six years in this role, she had the opportunity to directly support the Field and expand her technical portfolio as a Regional Director in CBP’s Field Support in Arizona and then Texas, leading the organizations that supports all Information Technology, surveillance, and tactical communications technology for CBP’s front line operators.
In her most recent role, Ms. Henderson returned to Border Enforcement and Management Systems as their Executive Director, where she led a team of about 120 federal employees and 520 contractors with an annual operating budget of $150 million. She delivered IT software solutions for a diverse portfolio to include all CBP operational and mission support organizations. While at the helm this organization, she was also named as the lead for the DHS priority Unified Immigration Portal (UIP) program.
Ms. Henderson holds a B.S. in Business Administration from the University of Montana, a Juris Doctor from George Mason School of Law, and is a certified Acquisition Program Manager.