Deputy Chief Privacy Officer
James Holzer was appointed Deputy Chief Privacy Officer in October 2020 and served as the Acting Chief Privacy Officer from January 20, 2021, to March 13, 2021. In his role, he exercises executive-level responsibility for strategic planning and development of Department-level privacy policy, compliance, and program oversight. He works closely with senior leadership throughout the Department and functions as an authority on privacy and transparency matters.
Prior to this appointment, Mr. Holzer held various leadership positions in the Privacy Office’s FOIA Division, including serving as the Deputy Chief FOIA Officer from July 2016 to October 2020. He also served as the Director of the Office of Government Information Services (OGIS), an important congressionally mandated component of the National Archives and Records Administration that serves as the federal FOIA ombudsman’s office, from August 2015 to May 2016.
Mr. Holzer served in the U.S. Air Force for 13 years and deployed to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003 and to Afghanistan in 2007. His awards include the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Secretary’s 2022 Team Excellence Award, the Department of Justice Award for Excellence in Management, the National Protection and Programs Directorate’s Teamwork Award, Meritorious Service Medal, Joint Service Commendation Medal, Gallant Unit Citation, Outstanding Unit with Valor, Afghanistan Campaign Medal, Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal, and the Global War on Terrorism Service Medal among others.