Coffee & Conversation with Doug Cossa

On Tuesday, October 8, 2024, INSA hosted a virtual Coffee & Conversation with Doug Cossa, CIO of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), and John Doyon, Executive Vice President of INSA. 

Video recording courtesy of host sponsor, Leidos!

Mr. Cossa opened with a brief overview of the upcoming 2024 Department of Defense Intelligence Information System (DoDIIS) Worldwide Conference, which will take place in Omaha, Nebraska from October 27 – 30. Mr. Cossa explained that the theme for this year’s conference, “Integrated Deterrence through IT Superiority,” is inspired by a belief that the evolution of technology influences national security and defense. Historically, those who build the infrastructure and the platforms that we use shape how geopolitical events unfold. Although investment in IT has ebbed and flowed over the years, Mr. Cossa emphasized that “IT is the mission” and is integral to everything the IC does.

Mr. Cossa shared that DoDIIS will provide a space to discuss emerging technologies and cultural shifts, with a focus on how to shift business practices to leverage new opportunities. DoDIIS will also provide insight into key priorities of IC leaders for the future, such as integrating data across the IC into a common operating picture across agencies, so that various agencies can leverage each other’s data in a synchronized fashion.

In closing, Mr. Cossa discussed other DIA priorities, such as incorporation of artificial intelligence and automation into data analysis and the evolution of the zero-trust strategy, a new data strategy that focuses on getting the right data to the right people, with a particular emphasis on getting connectivity and data to hard-to-reach places.