Ms. Elizabeth Durham-Ruiz is the Director of Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems (C4) and Chief Information Officer (CIO), United States Strategic Command, Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska.
As the Director of C4 Systems, data, and Artificial Intelligence (AI), Ms. Durham-Ruiz is responsible for providing and assuring global-integrated C4 capabilities for U.S. Strategic Command execution in support of full spectrum operations for global strike, nuclear deterrence, missile defense, and cyberspace operations. She translates DoD and Joint Chiefs of Staff communications and information policies and applies them across the command.
As the CIO, Ms. Durham-Ruiz has sole responsibility for developing, coordinating, and implementing U.S. Strategic Command enterprise information environment support for DoD Chief Information Officer initiatives, policy, and guidance. This includes Clinger-Cohen Act compliance, information resource management, and information technology governance processes such as capital planning, business process improvements, and portfolio management.
Ms. Durham-Ruiz was commissioned into the United States Air Force in 1982 following her graduation from the United States Air Force Academy and served on active duty until 2007. She has extensive experience in command, control, communications and cyber systems supporting Presidential, strategic, tactical, satellite commanding and integrated tactical warning/attack assessment missions; satellite communications; enterprise information technology systems; cloud computing; and data and AI.
After retiring from active duty as a Colonel, Ms. Durham-Ruiz held a variety of senior civilian positions at United States Strategic Command and United States Transportation Command. She led many cross-functional teams to analyze and develop pioneering solutions to complex technical problems, focusing on Nuclear Command, Control, and Communication (NC3), C4, cyber, cloud computing, and big data analytics.
EDUCATION
2013 Master of Business Administration, University of Nebraska-Omaha, NE
2003 Master of Arts, National Security and Strategic Studies, United States Naval War College, Newport, RI
2000 Air War College, Maxwell AFB, AL
1995 Armed Forces Staff College, Norfolk, VA
1995 Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
1987 Master of Science, Systems Management, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL
1987 Squadron Officer School, Maxwell Air Force Base, AL
1982 Bachelor of Science, United States Air Force Academy, Colorado Springs, CO
CIVILIAN CAREER CHRONOLOGY
1. December 2018 – Present, Director, Command, Control, Communications, and Computer System and Chief Information Officer, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE
2. December 2018 – April 2020, Director, Command, Control, Communications and Computer Systems; Chief Information Officer, and Director, Nuclear Command, Control and Communications Enterprise Center, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE
3. December 2016 – December 2018, Executive Director and Deputy Chief Information Officer, Command, Control, Communications, and Cyber Systems, United States Transportation Command, Scott AFB, IL
4. March 2011 – November 2016, Senior Analytic Advisor to the Director, C4 Systems, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE
5. February 2007 – February 2011, Chief, Mission Analysis and Outreach/Innovation Division, Global Innovation and Strategy Center, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE
MILITARY ASSIGNMENTS
1. July 2003 – January 2007, Deputy Director, Global Innovation and Strategy Center; Vice Director, Capability and Resource Integration Directorate; Chief, Space and Global Strike Mission Capability Team; Chief, Global Command, Control, Communications, and Computer Division, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE
2. July 2002 – June 2003, Student, United States Naval War College, Newport, RI
3. July 2000 – July 2002, Chief, Policy, Plans, Architecture, Requirements, and Military Satellite Communications, United States Strategic Command, Offutt AFB, NE
4. June 1998 – June 2000, Commander, 755th Communications Squadron, Offutt AFB, NE
5. June 1995 – June 1998, Extremely High Frequency Satellite Communications Action Officer, Joint Staff, Pentagon
6. June 1994 – June 1995, Student, Air Command and Staff College, Maxwell AFB, AL
7. April 1992 – June 1994, Chief, Integrated Tactical Warning/Attack Assessment and Aerospace Defense Requirements, Headquarters United States Air Force, Pentagon
8. February 1990 – April 1992, Integrated Tactical Warning/Attack Assessment Integration and Engineering Officer; Directorate Executive Officer, Headquarters Air Force Space Command, Peterson AFB, CO
9. January 1986 – February 1990, Chief of Systems, Chief of Maintenance, and Chief of Technical Control, 1879th Communications Squadron, Falcon (Schriever) AFB, CO
10. February 1983 – February 1986, Chief of Deployment Planning; Chief of Technical Control; Chief of Plans, 2d Combat Communications Group, Patrick AFB, FL
11. July 1982 – January 1983, Student, Basic Communications Officer Training, Keesler AFB, MS
MAJOR CIVILIAN AWARDS
Presidential Rank Award
Joint Civilian Service Achievement Award
Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award
Distinguished Alumnus, College of Business Administration, University of Nebraska, Omaha, NE
MAJOR MILITARY AWARDS AND DECORATIONS
Legion of Merit
Defense Meritorious Service Medal
Meritorious Service Medal
Joint Service Commendation Medal
Air Force Commendation Medal
Joint Service Achievement Medal
Air Force Achievement Medal
(Current as of October 2022)