Prior to her assignment as the Department Chair for Information Technology., Mrs. Laura L. Hill served as the first female Assistant Chief Information Officer for the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Natural Resources and Environment (NRE) Forest Service (FS). In this capacity, she was responsible for providing executive leadership to over 650 assigned IT staff, providing IT services and support for over 40,000 assigned employees located worldwide and defining the strategic direction of the USDA, NRE, FS Information Technology program — one of the largest mission support areas in the USDA.
Prior to her assignment to the NRE Forest Service in 2009, she had completed a very distinguished career as an Army Signal Corps officer. In that capacity, Lieutenant Colonel (LTC) Hill held various United States Army positions of increasing responsibility at facilities worldwide until her retirement in 2004. Distinguished by her technical expertise and her exemplary leadership abilities, LTC Hill demonstrated exceptional performance as the S3 officer of the 440th Signal Battalion deployed to Bosnia in support of the Operations Joint Guard and Stabilization Force (SFOR). While functioning as Chief, Operations Center, Defense Threat Reduction Agency at Fort Belvoir, 2001, LTC Hill was responsible for providing emergency response IT and communications in support of the terrorist events of Sept. 11, 2001 (9/11).
Based upon her unparalleled performance during the terrorist attacks of 9/11, LTC Hill assumed command of the Washington Area Communications Command, White House Communication Agency (WHCA). Entrusted with responsibility for one of the highest profile communications positions in the Department of Defense, in support of the President and staff, she performed her duties with initiative, integrity, reliability and competence in a position impacting directly on the security of the United States.
Upon retirement, Laura Hill was hired to work for Cisco Systems as a government service support manager, eventually returning home to Idaho to serve as their Enterprise Network Director for the Department of Administration before transitioning back to Federal Government Service, where she was assigned as the Fire and Aviation Management Branch Chief responsible for providing 24/7 IT support for wildland fire operations. Followed by promotion to Chief Information Security Officer (CISO), and Deputy CIO, for the NRE Forest Service.
Laura Hill had also served for seven years as Secretarial appointed Board Member to the Advisory Committee on the Readjustment of Combat Veterans for the Department of Veterans Affairs. She successfully completed a PM certification program sponsored by Cornell University, obtained her Certified Information Security Manager (CISM) certification, and is a graduate of the USDA Leadership Fellows Information Technology Training Program, the Harvard Senior Executive Leader Training Course, Harvard Kennedy School, and the USDA SES CDC CIO/CISO training and OMB SES certification program. She is currently an Adjunct Executive Leadership Instructor for Idaho State University and a Cyber Security Advisory Board member for Saint Mary’s college, KS and Mount Hood Community College.
Among LTC Hill’s numerous military awards are the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, and the White House Presidential Service Badge. She also was recently selected as one of the top 100 Federal Information Technology Innovators for FY2025 and as Idaho State Universities FY25 Presidential award recipient for her work with STEM, Cyber Security and other career milestones. She is an avid runner, Idaho Native, Idaho State University and Saint Mary’s graduate and is currently living in Garden City, Idaho, with her spouse LTC (R) Bart J. Hill, and beloved yellow lab, Anni.