Zach Terrell

Coder, age 25
Another very recent college graduate, Zach Terrell was involved in several cryptocurrency and Web3-related startups before joinging the DOGE wrecking crew at HHS in March. More recently, he was elevated in September to the role of CTO, a position which was previously held by fellow DOGE member Clark Minor and which would allow him to grant access to sensitive databases and systems to other DOGE personnel. He also seems to have some involvement with the National Design Studio’s work.

Positions

Appointed:
3/06/25 $132,629
Internal Transfer:
3/11/25 internal xfer
Promotion:
c.9/01/25 promoted to Chief Technology Officer
Source: AFL-CIO v. DOL, doc 80-5 Court Document, 4/18/25
Source: Data Reveals Details About DOGE, Government Hiring in 2025 Bloomberg, 1/09/26
Source: AFL-CIO v. DOL, doc 80-5 Court Document, 4/18/25
Source: HHS has a new DOGE-affiliated technology chief FedScoop, 9/29/25
Detailed To:
4/14/25 detailed from HHS Consultant
Source: How DOGE got into the National Science Foundation FedScoop, 4/22/25
Appointed:
8/29/25? «He has been linked to NDS but is still also at HHS?»
Source: ‘Sloppy’ Code and Accessibility Issues: The Trouble With Trump’s Silicon Valley-Inspired Web Design Project NOTUS, 12/01/25
Source: DOGE Operatives Are Joining Donald Trump’s New National Design Studio Wired Magazine, 8/29/25

Events

3/06/25
Appointed:
Zach Terrell starts at HHS.
Appointed: Zach Terrell 3/06/25
Salary: $132,629
Source: AFL-CIO v. DOL, doc 80-5 Court Document, 4/18/25
Source: Data Reveals Details About DOGE, Government Hiring in 2025 Bloomberg, 1/09/26
3/07/25
:
Zach Terrell is granted basic access to EHCM at HHS.
System Access: EHCM: Enterprise Human Capital Management System
: read, 3/07/25 Zach Terrell
Note: This system is used at HHS for managing all aspects of human-capital related tasks, including staffing notes and performance plans.
DOGE Project: Anti-Personnel
3/11/25
:
Zach Terrell is granted basic access to IDR at CMS.
System Access: IDR: Integrated Data Repository
: read, 3/11/25 Zach Terrell
Note: A data warehouse that receives all Medicare claims after they have been approved for payment
DOGE Project: Immigration
3/16/25
:
Zach Terrell is granted basic access to FBIS at HHS.
System Access: FBIS: Financial Business Intelligence System
: read, 3/16/25 Zach Terrell
Note: A system for tracking business operations at HHS
DOGE Project: Spending
3/18/25
:
Zach Terrell is granted basic access to UFMS at HHS.
System Access: UFMS: HHS Unified Financial Management System
: read, 3/18/25 Zach Terrell
Note: A department-wide financial management system which supports all of HHS Program Service Center's Accounting Services and reporting
DOGE Project: Spending
3/27/25
:
Zach Terrell is granted basic access to PMS at HHS.
System Access: PMS: Payment Management System
: read, 3/27/25 Zach Terrell
Note: A shared-services program provided by HHS for managing payments for grants
DOGE Project: Spending
3/29/25
Legal:
In a legal filing, the DOJ identifies 4 DOGE staffers - Edward Coristine, Marko Elez, Luke Farritor and Amy Gleason - as present at CMS. It omits the names of several other staffers with access to the CALM system.
4/12/25
Interagency Coordination:
Emailing this time from his CFPB account, Jeremy Lewin shares the documentation for the upcoming CFPB RIF with DOGE staff posted at several agencies (Zach Terrell and Alexandra Beynon). He also includes DOGE staff at CFPB: Gavin Kliger, Chris Young and Jordan Wick. It’s unclear if they are representing their individual agencies or are just taking part as DOGE members in the conversation.
4/14/25
Detailed To:
Zach Terrell detailed from HHS to NSF
HHS Detailed To: NSF Zach Terrell 4/14/25
Position Title: Consultant, Office of the Director
Source: How DOGE got into the National Science Foundation FedScoop, 4/22/25
Sighting:
Three unidentified DOGE staffers show up at NSF headquarters, forcing all approved grants to go through a “secondary review.” They were later identified as Luke Farritor, Rachel Riley and Zach Terrell.
4/22/25
Identification:
Three DOGE staffers are now at the National Science Foundation reviewing grants. Luke Farritor has a “Budget, Finance, and Administration” clearance, which a source said allows him to view and modify the agency’s funding opportunity system.
Person: Luke Farritor, Rachel Riley, Zach Terrell
Source: How DOGE got into the National Science Foundation FedScoop, 4/22/25
Agency: NSF
DOGE Project: Spending
4/XX/25
Disruption:
A team of three DOGE staffers – Edward Coristine, Luke Farritor and Zach Terrell – meet with chief grant management officials at NIH to demand changes in how grants are issued under DOGE’s new “Defend the Spend” authority over all grant disbursement.
8/29/25?
Appointed:
Zach Terrell starts at NDS.
Appointed: Zach Terrell 8/29/25?
Source: ‘Sloppy’ Code and Accessibility Issues: The Trouble With Trump’s Silicon Valley-Inspired Web Design Project NOTUS, 12/01/25
Source: DOGE Operatives Are Joining Donald Trump’s New National Design Studio Wired Magazine, 8/29/25
Note: He has been linked to NDS but is still also at HHS?
c.9/01/25
Promotion:
Zach Terrell promoted to Chief Technology Officer at HHS
Promotion: Zach Terrell c.9/01/25
Position Title: Chief Technology Officer
Source: HHS has a new DOGE-affiliated technology chief FedScoop, 9/29/25
Disruption:
Zach Terrell is named as the new Chief Technology Officer at HHS. He reportedly is also continuing to hold a role at NSF, supervising DOGE activities there.
Person: Zach Terrell
Source: HHS has a new DOGE-affiliated technology chief FedScoop, 9/29/25
Agency: HHS
DOGE Project: Impunity
12/26/25
Website:
The National Design Studio launches a new blog named “Dev Index” with an article written about the modernization work at OPM for digitizing retirements that apparently has moved over to the NDS from OPM with Joe Gebbia. The article is written by Yat Choi and Dennis Li and thanks Edward Coristine and Zach Terrell for reviewing the content.
Person: Dennis Li, Edward Coristine, Yat Choi, Zach Terrell
Source: How We Automated Federal Retirements National Design Studio, 12/26/25
Agency: NDS