Pedro Allende has been appointed as the Department of Management Services’ secretary, according to announcement made today by Governor Ron DeSantis (DMS).
Since September 2021, Allende, an attorney, has served on Florida’s Cybersecurity Advisory Council.
Allende was the Deputy Assistant Secretary for Infrastructure, Risk, and Resilience Policy at the United States Department of Homeland Security (DHS), where he oversaw policy efforts to protect critical infrastructure in the United States from cyber, physical, and natural threats, as well as federal, state, and local preparedness, response, and recovery capabilities.
“I am pleased to appoint Pedro Allende as Secretary of the Department of Management Services,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “His knowledge and experience protecting critical infrastructure against cybersecurity threats will bolster our efforts to protect Floridians’ data and keep our communities safe.”
Prior to joining DHS, he worked as a Senior Advisor and Director of Strategic Initiatives at the US Department of Energy, as well as a Counselor to the Secretary and White House Liaison at the US Department of Labor. Allende graduated from the University of Florida with a bachelor’s degree in economics, a master’s degree in decision and information science, and a juris doctorate.