Accenture Federal Services reported Christopher Smith will serve as its U.S. federal chief technology and innovation officer. Smith will assume his new role on April 9 after retiring as CIO for the U.S. Department of Agriculture on April 7.

Lenexa, Kan.-based B. E. Smith, an executive search firm specializing in healthcare, hired Laurie Gehrt to lead the firm’s interim leadership and consulting solutions divisions as senior vice president. Gehrt has more than 15 years of experience as a healthcare executive, consultant and clinician, previously serving as chief nursing officer for Cerner’s U.S. consulting division.