Ted Kaouk has served as the CFTC’s Chief Data & AI Officer and Director of the Division of Data since December 2023. In his role, Dr. Kaouk leads the creation of strategies and capabilities that expand the agency’s use of data analytics and AI to most effectively oversee the derivatives markets and meet the CFTC’s regulatory requirements.
Dr. Kaouk served as the chief data officer at the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), where he was responsible for developing the agency’s first federal government-wide human capital data strategy and data products. Prior to joining OPM, Dr. Kaouk was the chief data officer at the Department of Agriculture, where he was responsible for establishing the agency’s first enterprise data analytics platform and a data strategy to improve organizational decision-making and outcomes for citizens. Dr. Kaouk also served as the first Chair of the Federal Chief Data Officers Council.
Dr. Kaouk began his career as a surface warfare officer in the United States Navy, where he served as a communications officer, overseeing a guided missile destroyer’s computer network, satellite communications suite, and cryptographic program. As a damage control officer in the Navy, he managed all crew readiness programs for conventional, bio-chemical, and environmental threats to normal shipboard operations and stability.
Education
- BS, United States Naval Academy
- MA, University of Virginia
- PhD, University of Maryland, College Park
