Madiha D. Latif is the Census Bureau’s chief administrative officer (CAO). As CAO, she oversees the agency’s administrative backbone, ensuring the people, processes, and infrastructure behind the nation’s most trusted data are as strong as the mission itself. In this role, she leads the Census Bureau’s Human Resources, Administrative and Customer Services, Investigative Services, and Employee Engagement divisions.

Latif brings over two decades of military, private and public sector experience to the Census Bureau. She most recently served as deputy under secretary at the Department of Commerce, where she led a portfolio focused on expanding access, capacity, and opportunity for underserved communities across the nation. Prior to that, she served as deputy assistant commissioner at the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service, where she oversaw executive operations supporting mission-critical financial systems and enterprisewide services.

Earlier in her career, Latif worked in the private sector, where she advised federal agencies on strategic planning, program integration, and change management. These experiences deepened her understanding of how strong public-private collaboration can accelerate government innovation and impact.

Latif is a U.S. Army veteran whose leadership is rooted in service, access, and a deep belief in the government's potential to deliver for the American people. Her work spans strategic planning, operational excellence, workforce transformation, and public sector innovation—founded on a philosophy of leading with purpose, showing up with integrity, and creating conditions for others to thrive especially when it matters most.

She holds a bachelor’s degree and an MBA with concentrations in human capital and finance, and an executive certification in public leadership from Harvard’s Kennedy School. She has served on nonprofit boards and is a frequent speaker on leadership, governance, and reimagining public institutions for a new era.

Latif is a proud mom of two; a relentless optimist; and someone who believes that when we center people and purpose, we don’t just shape policy—we deliver real, lasting progress.

Page Last Revised - April 29, 2025

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