Meet Jim

Jim Hurst is a digital transformation architect who leads business and technology transformations for Booz Allen's defense and intelligence clients. Based out of our McLean, Virginia, office, Jim and his teams implement complex digital technology transformations that increase efficiency and spur growth. 

Jim has more than 20 years of digital transformation experience spearheading change in commercial and federal sectors. Before joining Booz Allen, Jim was the chief information officer (CIO) at the law firm Wolfpoff and Abramson, where he led the transformation and modernization of its system and infrastructure to enable accelerated growth. He also was a senior vice president and chief information officer for the publishing company Philips International, managing the organization’s worldwide technology and a call center.

Outside of work, Jim teaches scuba diving for the Montgomery County Recreation Department in Maryland. He holds advanced certifications in both wreck and rescue diving.

Jim received both an M.S. in civil engineering and a B.A. in biology from West Virginia University. In addition, he has a B.S. in computer science from University of Pittsburgh. He holds numerous certifications, including as a project management professional and an ICAgile professional.

What is a skill/lesson you learned growing up, and how is it still relevant today? Patience and teamwork. I learned this from my family and my colleagues. In trying to solve our clients’ toughest challenges, there’s sometimes a rush to come up with a solution before fully understanding the problem. I like to imagine I’m in their shoes—to understand their challenges, figure out what’s important to them, and see how they measure progress and success. We’re all different, and different things motivate us. We need to understand what’s important to our clients and colleagues.

How does your work change the world? Currently, I support a defense and intelligence mission that is making the world a safer place. I work to ensure we have the right people and that they’re motivated, trained, and empowered to do their job each day. In addition, each of us has a duty to recruit and train the next generation of Booz Allen leaders so they can continue to change the world.

Why is it important for Booz Allen to be a diverse and inclusive workplace? Bringing in different ideas and perspectives leads to better problem solving. Working in diverse teams opens dialogue and promotes creativity.