Deborah Rhodes
Vice President, CGI Federal
Deborah Rhodes leads the HR team at CGI Federal, where she oversees innovative initiatives to serve the over 8,000 experts who work at the company. She spent much of 2026 focused on advancing employee recognition and enablement with the launch of the CGI Excellence recognition platform.
Replacing a more limited predecessor, CGI Excellence highlights recognition of employee tenure and supports peer-to-peer appreciation, strengthening both cultural alignment and the overall employee experience.
Rhodes also led the rollout of CGI HR Assist, a self-service, AI-powered chatbot that delivers quick, reliable answers to HR questions. By providing instant support and reducing routine inquiries, HR Assist gets employees the answers they need quickly.
Why Watch
In 2027, Rhodes is focused on building a future-ready workforce for CGI Federal that will expand AI-enabled hiring, advance skill-based assessments and strengthen talent pipelines through university, apprenticeship and early-career programs. She is also elevating the CGI Federal workforce’s capabilities through continuous learning, AI-native skill building and enhanced leadership development. With stronger mobility pathways and structured talent growth, Rhodes is preparing CGI Federal for evolving client and workforce needs and for the increasing presence of AI throughout the organization.
“It is a significant transformation for our employees at all levels, including the leaders in the organization,” she said. “We want to equip our leaders with the tools they need to lead the workforce (humans and agents) of the future. We have a lot that we’re aiming for this coming year to help continue to develop career pathways in that capacity.”
Fun fact: Born in San Antonio into an Air Force family, Rhodes moved to Virginia at age 10, after a couple of years in Redlands, California. The family made a road trip out of the cross-country move, with stops at landmarks including the Hoover Dam, the Grand Canyon and the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs. “I’ve been in Virginia ever since,” she said. “I grew up in Northern Virginia and met my husband in college. We are busily raising two teenagers who are very active in travel soccer and other high school sports. It brings me great joy watching them have fun with their teammates.”