Essye B. Miller

Essye B. Miller is a Talladega College alumna and a retired member of the Department of Defense Senior Executive Service who rose to Acting Chief Information Officer of the Department of Defense. She earned her B.A. at Talladega in 1985, an M.B.A. from Troy State University, a Master of Strategic Studies from Air University, and later completed national security studies at the Harvard Kennedy School. She began as an information systems specialist at Gunter Air Force Base and spent decades in Air Force and Army information, communications, and cybersecurity posts, including Headquarters Air Force CIO and Director of Cybersecurity for the Army CIO/G-6.

As Principal Deputy DoD CIO—and as Acting CIO from December 2017 to May 2018—she advised the Secretary of Defense on information technology, information assurance, satellite communications, navigation and timing programs, spectrum, and telecommunications. She also served as the Department’s Chief Information Security Officer, coordinating cybersecurity standards with federal agencies, coalition partners, and industry. In 2018 she received a Presidential Rank Award.

Miller helped establish the Cybersecurity Center at Talladega College and now serves as vice chair of the College’s Board of Trustees. Talladega awarded her an honorary doctorate in 2021. She is a 2026 National Black College Alumni Hall of Fame inductee in Government.

• Rose from a Talladega classroom to Acting DoD Chief Information Officer. Miller earned her B.A. at Talladega College in 1985, began as an information systems specialist at Gunter Air Force Base, and later completed an M.B.A. from Troy State University, a Master of Strategic Studies from Air University, and national security studies at the Harvard Kennedy School.
• Advised the Secretary of Defense on the Department’s digital enterprise. As Principal Deputy DoD CIO—and as Acting CIO from December 2017 to May 2018—she oversaw information technology, information assurance, satellite communications, navigation and timing programs, spectrum, and telecommunications.
• Served as the Department’s Chief Information Security Officer. In that role she coordinated cybersecurity standards with federal agencies, coalition partners, and industry. Earlier posts included Headquarters Air Force CIO and Director of Cybersecurity for the Army CIO/G-6.
• Received a Presidential Rank Award in 2018. The award recognizes career Senior Executive Service leaders for sustained extraordinary achievement in federal service.
• Brought cybersecurity home to Talladega. She helped establish the College’s Cybersecurity Center, now serves as vice chair of the Board of Trustees, and received an honorary doctorate from Talladega in 2021.