Technology, People & Change

Enterprise Leadership. Built for Scale. Grounded in Impact.

My name is Rajiv Uppal. I'm a technology and organizational leader with a career built on designing meaningful, scalable change. I bring over thirty years of experience leading innovation across the private sector, early-stage ventures, and national public programs.

My focus is enterprise impact: aligning teams, systems, and strategies to deliver measurable outcomes. From advancing health equity to improving financial security to modernizing service at scale, I prioritize what works and what delivers lasting value.

“The real goal isn’t modernization; it’s momentum. Building systems and cultures that keep getting better.”  

Grounded in Innovation

I began in the startup world. Launching and scaling technology ventures where resourcefulness, speed, and clarity of vision were essential. That entrepreneurial foundation still shapes my leadership style: lean, adaptive, and always centered on creating value.

From there, I moved into enterprise engagements, building systems and leading programs for complex, high-stakes organizations. What started in  financial services and consumer technology evolved into leading large-scale transformations in the public sector:

Internal Revenue Service (IRS): 

As CIO at the IRS, I led the agency's IT modernization efforts during a pivotal period of transformation. Appointed as part of a broader strategic restructuring, my focus was on aligning IT with the IRS's core business functions to improve taxpayer services, compliance, and operational efficiency.

Throughout my tenure, I oversaw the development and enhancement of mission-critical IT systems, including the digitization of tax processing and the implementation of advanced cybersecurity measures to protect taxpayer data. My priority was to build a strong technological foundation that would support the IRS’s transformation while also delivering tangible improvements in service delivery.

I also focused on creating new tools to help taxpayers navigate the system more efficiently, ultimately aiming for a smoother, more effective experience for every individual and business interacting with the IRS.

During my time at the IRS, I was proud to receive the Presidential Rank Award in recognition of my contributions to federal IT leadership. After a transformative and rewarding period, I transitioned out of the IRS in April 2025, following broader changes in leadership and policy at the agency.

Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS): 

My work at CMS was driven by the goal of making healthcare more accessible and effective for everyone, using technology as a cornerstone of that mission. I worked closely with leadership to align technology with healthcare policy and improve service delivery at a national scale, ultimately contributing to CMS’s role as a leader in public healthcare programs.

  • led the agency's technology transformation to modernize the IT infrastructure supporting the Medicare and Medicaid programs

  • spearheaded the migration of over 120 mission-critical IT systems to a secure, modern cloud platform, which resulted in significant operational savings, reduced system downtime, and improved Medicare claims processing through the integration of AI and automation

  • negotiated enterprise licensing frameworks that saved the agency over $120M, allowing for better scalability of its IT assets. This initiative was a key part of CMS’s broader efforts to optimize resources while ensuring that critical healthcare services could be delivered more efficiently.

My Approach

➤ Listen Actively.

Understand not just requirements, but context.

➤ Design for Impact.

Build systems that solve the real problem.

➤ Align at Every Level.

Technology, teams, governance—working in concert.

➤ Lead with Clarity.

Decisions guided by transparency and shared intent.

➤ Build What Lasts.

Scalable platforms. Resilient organizations. Teams that grow.