Dennis D. Fitzgerald, PDDNRO

Principal Deputy Director of the NRO

Mr. Dennis Fitzgerald is the Principal Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (PDDNRO). In addition to serving as the PDDNRO, Mr. Fitzgerald was appointed Deputy Director of the National Reconnaissance Office (DDNRO) on 10 August 2001. Mr. Fitzgerald is also the Deputy Assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force (Intelligence Space Technology) and the Director of the Office of Development and Engineering (OD&E), Directorate of Science and Technology (DS&T), Central Intelligence Agency (CIA).

Mr. Fitzgerald was born in New Haven, Connecticut. He earned his B.S. in physics from Fairfield University in 1964, and went on to earn four master's degrees in applied physics, mathematics, electrical engineering, and space technology from Johns Hopkins University.

Mr. Fitzgerald began his professional career as a field engineer working on the Polaris and Poseidon missile program for Sperry Gyroscope in 1964 and later for Vitro Laboratories in 1966. In January 1974, Mr. Fitzgerald joined the CIA and has subsequently spent the majority of his career in DS&T/OD&E with duty in the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO).

During his service in OD&E, Mr. Fitzgerald has held a variety of key positions in the NRO, including Deputy Director, Technology Application Group, Deputy Director for Systems Collection, Director of Signals Intelligence (SIGINT) Program Group, Director, SIGINT Systems Acquisition and Operations Directorate, and from 28 March to 1 August 2005, he served as the Acting Director, NRO.

Outside of OD&E, Mr. Fitzgerald served as the Associate Director of the National Photographic Interpretation Center, the Deputy Director of the DS&T's Office of Research and Development and the Associate Deputy Director for Science and Technology.

Mr. Fitzgerald holds certificates as a Professional Engineer in New York and Virginia, and is a licensed Master Electrician in Virginia. He has completed ten marathons. He is the father of Mr. David Fitzgerald of Oswego, New York, and Ms. Erin Vires of Manassas, Virginia. Mr. Fitzgerald resides in Reston, Virginia with his wife Deborah.