| Lisa Costa | |
| Office: | Deputy Chief of Space Operations for Technology and Innovaton of the United States Space Force |
| 1Blankname: | Chief |
| 1Namedata: | John W. Raymond |
| Term Start: | August 2021 |
| Predecessor: | John M. Olson (acting) |
| Education: | Rollins College (BS) Tampa College (MBA) Union Institute & University (PhD) |
Lisa A. Costa is an American computer scientist and defense official serving as the deputy chief of space operations for technology and logistics of the United States Space Force since 2021. She is its chief technology and innovation officer. Costa was the chief information officer of the United States Special Operations Command from 2018 to 2021.
Costa earned a B.S. in mathematics and computer science from Rollins College in 1986.[1] While attending school, she worked full time. She worked in the corporate computer center of the Harris Corporation. At the age of 18, she became a junior programmer with a government contractor.[2] Costa received a M.B.A. from Tampa College in 1990. In 1993, Costa completed a doctorate of computer science and engineering management from the Union Institute & University.
Costa was the director of the Non-Traditional Information and Knowledge Exploitation Cell in Tampa, Florida from September 2001 to August 2010. From September 2010 to September 2013, she was the executive director of enterprise integration of the Mitre Corporation's National Security Engineering Center. Costa was the director of counter weapons of mass destruction and violent extremism from September 2013 to March 2017. In March 2017, she joined PlanteRisk as its vice president of intelligence and chief scientist. In March 2018, she became the senior director of innovation and technology at Engility. In October 2018, Costa became the director of communications systems and the chief information officer of the United States Special Operations Command. While there, where she ran the fourth largest information technology enterprise in the United States Department of Defense. With over 95,000 users in over 140 countries, she was accountable for the technical portions of no failmissions for elite military units and operations. She directly controlled and executed a >$1.2B per year budget which included global cloud infrastructure, mobility, satellite and terrestrial communications, anddevsecops supporting just in time artificial intelligence at the edge. She advised on the spending of ~$13.2B per year.[3]
In November 2020, she joined the board of directors of CarParts.com.[4] In September 2021, Costa became the chief technology officer and innovation officer of the United States Space Force.[5]
Costa is the recipient of the following awards:[1]