Megan Smith, formerly of Google's shadowy "X" facility, is the new Chief Technology Officer of the United States, tasked with maintaining a technological edge for the entire country.

The Washington Post reports Smith will work alongside another former Googler, Alex Macgillivray, giving the Silicon Valley search juggernaut some very good friends in the White House:

Under Smith the position is expected to re-focus on being agenda-setting and forward-looking — something of the technological equivalent of the President's Science Advisor.

Said the president in a statement, "Megan has spent her career leading talented teams and taking cutting-edge technology and innovation initiatives from concept to design to deployment. I am confident that in her new role as America's Chief Technology Officer, she will put her long record of leadership and exceptional skills to work on behalf of the American people. I am grateful for her commitment to serve, and I look forward to working with her and with our new Deputy U.S. CTO, Alexander Macgillivray, in the weeks and months ahead."

Smith is still legally married to high-profile journalist Kara Swisher, who New York magazine recently described as "Silicon Valley's most powerful snoop" in an article that also said they are no longer together. In her personal ethics statement, Swisher describes Smith as "my longtime spouse from whom I am now separate," and adds "[Smith] does not share information with me about any of [her] projects or any others at Google."

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