CBP’s Sonny Bhagowalia Wins
2026 Wash100 Award for Innovation in IT, Cybersecurity
Executive Mosaic is thrilled to honor Sonny Bhagowalia, U.S. Customs and Border Protection assistant commissioner for information and technology, and chief information officer, as a second-time Wash100 Award winner for his work transforming federal agencies through technological innovation in IT, information resource management and cybersecurity.
Bhagowalia has over 40 years of senior technical, managerial and executive leadership success in both the federal government and industry. As CBP CIO, he oversees 2,000 federal employees, 4,000 government contractors and the agency’s roughly $2 billion IT budget.
The 2026 Wash100 Award popular vote competition is now open! Vote for Sonny Bhagowalia and other top GovCon leaders today at Wash100.com.
Why Is Sonny Bhagowalia Winning a 2026 Wash100 Award?
Bhagowalia uses his expertise in IT, information resource management, cybersecurity and business process reengineering to bolster the security of organizations. He’s supported the federal CIO and chief technology officer creating federal-wide initiatives including open data, cloud computing and the Federal Risk and Authorization Management Program, or FedRAMP, according to IBM.
“CIO Bhagowalia has distinguished himself through sustained success across a variety of roles in federal service,” said Jim Garrettson, Executive Mosaic CEO and founder of the Wash100 Award. “As CBP CIO, he delivers secure and reliable IT services that help safeguard U.S. borders and improve the nation’s economic prosperity. He also served in positions of influence as CIO at the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the Department of the Interior.
“CIO Bhagowalia’s leadership isn’t limited to federal service. He was the first CIO for the state of Hawaii, where he streamlined the state’s business operations and modernized its antiquated technology infrastructure and systems.
“CIO Bhagowalia also delivered results in industry, including serving as a chief architect for Boeing in NASA’s $5 billion Consolidated Space Operations Contract. CIO Bhagowalia has one of the most impressive backgrounds in federal service and we’re certain that track record will continue in 2026,” Garrettson added.
“I am honored to be recognized with my second Wash100 Award and be among such a distinguished list of leaders in government and industry,” said Bhagowalia. “My commitment as CBP CIO is to ensure CBP continues to be at the forefront of IT, data and cybersecurity, so that we can protect the American people, safeguard our borders and enhance the nation’s economic prosperity at the speed of CBP’s 24/7 mission.
“I am privileged to have led as CBP’s CIO for the past six years, working alongside such a talented IT workforce, trusted partners and stakeholders. They have allowed me to build upon the past foundation, deliver in the present and position for the future, reaching greater levels of excellence for the American people,” Bhagowalia continued.
Who Is Sonny Bhagowalia?
Transformational Executive
Bhagowalia is an award-winning technology professional who is best known for transforming government at the speed of mission through innovation in business, technology and governance. He has extensive program management, systems integration and organizational change management experience in industry, and federal, state and tribal government organizations of large size, scope and complexity.
As Hawaii’s first CIO, Bhagowalia overhauled the state’s outdated technology infrastructure and created a modern system, helping the Hawaiian government become more efficient and provide better services for residents.
Dedicated Federal Servant
Bhagowalia has served in key CIO leadership roles at five government agencies: Bureau of Indian Affairs, Department of the Interior, the state of Hawaii and the departments of Treasury and Homeland Security. Bhagowalia also spent 14 years at GovCon stalwart Boeing with five years in leadership as a chief engineer and manager, and as an honorary senior principal engineer.
He helped CBP become one of the first federal agencies to explore post-quantum cryptography to improve its security. Bhagowalia prepared CBP for the advent of quantum computing and the risk it poses to the agency’s software, infrastructure and communications.
Bhagowalia emphasizes using emerging technologies such as advanced analytics and AI to streamline mission support, bolster situational awareness and protect the flow of goods and people at U.S. borders, according to FedScoop.
Responsible Emerging Technologist
Bhagowalia promotes the responsible use of AI in law enforcement. Bhagowalia previously told a Potomac Officers Club summit that CBP needs AI to have a hallucination rate, or the amount of times a large language model will generate falsehoods based on incorrect data, be much lower than its current 20 percent to be taken seriously as a viable route for decision support.
As CBP CIO, Bhagowalia developed a four-tier strategy for achieving digital modernization success. He promotes an agile risk tolerance mindset to help CBP complete its 24/7 missions faster, more securely and more affordably.
Bhagowalia promotes a leadership style that places trust in his subordinates.
“You’ve got to give them a safe zone so that when they come up with these ideas…they feel like there is some support and leadership behind them,” he said.
What Does Sonny Bhagowalia’s Success Mean for GovCon?
GovCons can expect Bhagowalia to continue leveraging critical emerging technologies to protect U.S. borders while also encouraging the responsible use of technology in law enforcement.
Congratulations to Sonny Bhagowalia on his 2026 Wash100 Award!
Cast your vote for Bhagowalia in the 2026 Wash100 popular vote competition.