Merissa Larson currently serves as the Acting Deputy Chief Information Officer for Compliance, Risk, and Remediation and Chief Privacy Officer within the Office of Information Technology (OIT). In her permanent role, she is the Executive Director for Risk and Remediation and Deputy Risk Officer for OIT, where she oversees several critical directorates: 508 Compliance, Compliance Readiness, IT Enterprise Governance, IT Enterprise Risk Management, Enterprise Independent Verification and Validation, Compliance Tracking, and Operational Planning and Remediation. For her exemplary work in driving compliance across the Department of Section 508 accessibility for Veterans, their families, and VA staff, in 2024 Ms. Larson earned the VA Secretary’s “I CARE” award.

Ms. Larson began her federal career in the General Services Administration’s (GSA) Financial Management Leadership Program. Her career spans operational, strategic, and executive roles across multiple federal agencies, including GSA, the Department of the Navy, and the Office of the Secretary of Defense. At the Department of the Navy, she was hand-selected to build the Wounded Warrior Program from the ground up, developing its first mission, vision, and strategic objectives.

She was later selected for the prestigious two-year Defense Senior Executive Leadership Program, which included attendance at the Army War College. Following this, she served in the Office of Personnel and Readiness at the Office of the Secretary of Defense, shaping department-wide policies, congressional responses, and Inspector General corrective actions.

Driven by her dedication to supporting service members and their families, Ms. Larson transitioned to the Department of Veterans Affairs. Since October 2018, she has served as Chief of Staff and Senior Advisor in OIT’s Office of IT Resource Management, where her expertise in budget, policy, HR, and strategic initiatives positioned her to lead high-impact efforts across OIT.