Thomas Littleton, PhD

Associate Chief Information Officer

Dr. Thomas Littleton is the U.S. Department of Transportation Associate Chief Information Officer for Sector Cyber Coordination. In this capacity Dr. Littleton leads a team of cyber risk management professionals dedicated to ensuring America’s transportation infrastructure is cyber-safe, cyber-secure and cyber-resilient by design. Dr. Littleton joins the Office of the Chief Information Officer from the Federal Aviation Administration, where his duties included airport cybersecurity and the integration of commercial space launch operations at airports. Previously, Dr. Littleton served as a Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Transportation, the Associate Administrator for Transit Safety and Oversight at the Federal Transit Administration, and the Accident Investigation and Prevention Division Manager at the Federal Aviation Administration.

Before these assignments, Dr. Littleton was a fighter pilot in the United States Air Force, serving more than 20 years with command assignments at all levels. While in the Air Force he flew the F-16 for most of his career and was a developmental pilot for the F-35 program. Dr. Littleton also worked as a test pilot for a major aerospace manufacturer, and as a private military contractor flying high-risk security and surveillance missions around the globe. In total Dr. Littleton flew 172 combat missions and logged more than 600 hours of flight time in combat, earning the Distinguished Flying Cross and six Air Medals. Dr. Littleton earned a Ph.D. in Business Administration from Northcentral University, with a specialization in Homeland Security Leadership and Policy. Following his Ph.D. Dr. Littleton completed courses of study in cyber risk management and generative artificial intelligence from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, respectively. He also holds Masters’ degrees from the U.S. Air Force Air University and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and a Bachelors’ degree from Randolph-Macon College. Dr. Littleton is a graduate of the U.S. Air Force Air War College, the U.S. Air Force Air Command and Staff College, and is a best-selling author. Additionally, Dr. Littleton has over 4,500 hours of military and civilian flight time, holds an Airline Transport Pilot license, an unrestricted Boeing-737 type rating, is a Certified Flight Instructor and Certified Instrument Flight Instructor, and is an experienced test pilot and check pilot.