Mr. Cardillo is one of the country’s most recognized national security professionals and has held numerous leadership positions in his distinguished 35-years of service in the U.S. Intelligence Community (IC). Most recently he served as the sixth Director of the NGA from October 2014 until February 2019, where he led the Agency’s efforts to modernize and grow its global geospatial intelligence mission.
Prior to serving as Director, from 2010 to 2014, Mr. Cardillo served as the first Deputy Director for Intelligence Integration at the Office of the Director of National Intelligence, where he operationalized and implemented the DNI’s vision to fully integrate the IC. In this position, Mr. Cardillo managed, edited and delivered over 1,400 President’s Daily Briefs.
In 2010, Mr. Cardillo served as the Deputy Director of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) where he managed a 20,000-person global enterprise to deliver intelligence advantages to the U.S. military. In addition, from 2006 to 2010, he served as the Deputy Director for Analysis at DIA where he oversaw the defense intelligence analytic community which spans the Armed Services and the Combatant Commands. In the summer of 2009, Mr. Cardillo served as the Acting Director for Intelligence (J2), a first for a civilian, in support of the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Before he moved to DIA, Mr. Cardillo led Analysis and Production as well as Source Operations and Management at NGA from 2002-2006. Mr. Cardillo’s senior leadership assignments at NGA also included Congressional Affairs, Public Affairs, and Corporate Relations. Mr. Cardillo began his career with DIA in 1983 as an imagery analyst.
Mr. Cardillo earned a bachelor’s degree in government from Cornell University and a master’s degree in national security studies from Georgetown University. His awards include two Director of National Intelligence Distinguished Service Medals, the Department of Defense Distinguished Service Award, two Presidential Ranks of Distinguished Executive, the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Joint Meritorious Civilian Service Award.
