Tulsi Gabbard Wins First Wash100 Award for Spearheading ODNI Reform
Executive Mosaic is pleased to announce that Tulsi Gabbard, director of national intelligence, has been selected as a 2026 Wash100 Award winner in recognition of her leadership in restructuring the U.S. intelligence enterprise, restoring institutional accountability and refocusing the intelligence community on its core national security mission.
Gabbard, a first-time Wash100 awardee, was sworn in as the eighth DNI in February 2025, following Senate confirmation by a 52-48 vote. As the nation’s top intelligence official, she oversees the integration, strategic direction and oversight of the 18 elements of the intelligence community and serves as the principal intelligence adviser to the president.
“A first-time Wash100 honor in 2026 demonstrates the leadership and innovation Director Gabbard brings as director of national intelligence,” Jim Garrettson, CEO of Executive Mosaic and founder of the Wash100 award.
“Since her confirmation in 2025, Director Gabbard has helped drive meaningful transformation across the intelligence community, including championing a new task force focused on transparency and accountability while strengthening collaboration with industry partners. Her commitment to modernizing intelligence operations, improving mission support and building greater trust across the enterprise reflects the very best of the Wash100 values and signals her growing influence in GovCon and national security,” Garrettson added.
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Who Is Tulsi Gabbard?
Gabbard brings a unique blend of military service, legislative experience and national security leadership to DNI.
She was the U.S. representative for Hawaii’s 2nd congressional district from 2013 to 2021, during which time she sat on the House Armed Services Committee and introduced legislation focused on veterans’ issues. Gabbard also held the position of vice chair of the Democratic National Committee from 2013 to 2016.
Gabbard served in the Army National Guard and completed deployments to Iraq and Kuwait. She has held the rank of lieutenant colonel in the U.S. Army Reserve since 2021, continuing her service alongside her civilian leadership roles.
Why Is Tulsi Gabbard Winning the Wash100 Award?
Tulsi Gabbard is being honored for transformational leadership of the U.S. intelligence enterprise, highlighted by the launch of ODNI 2.0, a sweeping reform initiative designed to reduce bureaucracy, eliminate redundancy and refocus intelligence activities on mission-critical priorities.
Gabbard Heralds a New ODNI
Under ODNI 2.0, Gabbard is leading a restructuring that will reduce the size of the Office of the Director of National Intelligence by over 40 percent by the end of fiscal year 2025, saving taxpayers over $700 million annually.
Key elements of the reorganization include absorbing functions of the Foreign Malign Influence Center, National Counterproliferation and Biosecurity Center and Cyber Threat Intelligence Integration Center into ODNI’s mission integration directorate and the National Intelligence Council.
The changes also address what she described as “politicized weaponization of intelligence.”
“Ending the weaponization of intelligence and holding bad actors accountable are essential to begin to earn the American people’s trust which has long been eroded,” she said. “Under President Trump’s leadership, ODNI 2.0 is the start of a new era focused on serving our country, fulfilling our core national security mission with excellence, always grounded in the U.S. Constitution, and ensuring the safety, security, and freedom of the American people.”
Gabbard has also directed reforms in acquisition, workforce balance and counterintelligence, streamlining contracting for the procurement of emerging technologies. She said acquisition reforms would save money and ensure that the government is “getting the most bang for the buck.”
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Gabbard Expands IC Partnerships
ODNI, under Gabbard, is also expanding intelligence sharing with federal, state and local law enforcement partners to create a common operating picture.
“We have local law enforcement, we have Customs and Border Patrol,” she explained. “They all have to be operating from that same picture in order for us to be effective, and we can’t have these silos [of] both information and intelligence, otherwise, we will not only waste a lot of time and money, but we will we will be creating more risk.”
In October, Gabbard announced the creation of the National Counterterrorism Center’s Interagency Fusion Cell, or NIFC, aimed at strengthening two-way information sharing between the IC and law enforcement.
Championing Transparency
As part of her broader effort to restore accountability and public trust, Gabbard has also directed the review of IC documents for potential declassification. The task force is examining materials related to the origins of COVID-19, Anomalous Health Incidents and Crossfire Hurricane, with the goal of increasing transparency while protecting national security equities.
As part of ODNI’s transparency efforts, Gabbard has also overseen the public release of the 12th Annual Statistical Transparency Report, an IC report aimed at increasing public understanding of intelligence activities. The report detailed increased use of U.S. person query terms by the National Security Agency, CIA and National Counterterrorism Center in 2024. ODNI attributed the rise primarily to cyber threats to U.S. infrastructure, the Israel-Hamas conflict and international terrorism risks linked to the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria.
The report was released in accordance with the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act and reflects changes enacted under the Reforming Intelligence and Securing America Act, which extended FISA authorities. ODNI paired statistical data with explanatory narratives to provide context and enhance public trust.
ODNI has also disclosed topline intelligence funding figures, announcing that Congress appropriated $73.3 billion for the National Intelligence Program in fiscal year 2025, including supplemental funding. While classified budget details remain protected, Gabbard’s leadership has emphasized transparency where possible regarding the scope and purpose of intelligence programs supporting national security.
Executive Mosaic congratulates Tulsi Gabbard on her Wash100 Award and looks ahead to the lasting impact of her reforms across the U.S. intelligence community.
Do not forget to vote for Gabbard in the 2026 Wash100 popular vote competition! Click here to cast your 10 votes today!