OPM Director Katherine Archuleta’s Resignation Statement

Office of Personnel Management Director Katherine Archuleta announced Friday that she will be resigning. The announcement comes less than 24 hours after Archuleta told reporters that a massive breach of background investigations data stored by OPM affected some 21.5 million people, including current and former civilian and military personnel and their families. Below is Archuleta’s full statement on her resignation:

“Today I informed the OPM workforce that I am stepping down as the leader of this remarkable agency and the remarkable people who work for it. This morning, I offered, and the President accepted, my resignation as the Director of the Office of Personnel Management. I conveyed to the President that I believe it is best for me to step aside and allow new leadership to step in, enabling the agency to move beyond the current challenges and allowing the employees at OPM to continue their important work.

Leading this agency has been the highlight of my career. The OPM family is comprised of some of the most dedicated, capable and hardworking individuals in the Federal Government. Each of them does so much in service of our country – whether it is through protecting our security by conducting background investigations; working to ensure Federal employees and their families have the best possible health coverage available; or working to assist our Federal retirees and their families in the smooth processing of their annuities. I thank them, from the bottom of my heart. 

While we have accomplished much together, in particular, I’m proud of the work we have done to develop the REDI initiative and our IT Strategic Plan. Both of these efforts have transformed our ability to serve our customer agencies and ensure that the Federal Government is able to attract, hire, engage and develop a talented and diverse federal workforce. 

I am honored to have led this organization and to have served alongside the incredible team at OPM. I have complete confidence in their ability to continue fulfill OPM’s important mission of recruiting, retaining and honoring a world-class workforce to serve the American People.

I conveyed to the president that I believe it is best for me to step aside and allow new leadership that will enable the agency to move beyond the current challenges and allow the employees at OPM to continue their important work.”