John Lynskey

John Lynskey joined the Smithsonian in June of 2023 when he took on the Deputy Chief Financial Officer (CFO) role.  

Lynskey has worked in accounting for decades. He began his career in private industry before a job offer from the United States Secret Service arrived and set him on a federal service path. At the Secret Service, Lynskey not only developed the organizations first financial statements and a detailed budget model for the special security events the Secret Service supported, but he also was able to serve as part of the core security leadership team for campaign conventions, the Olympics, State of the Union addresses, and United Nations General Assemblies.  

After the Secret Service, Lynskey went on to an impressive career at the National Science Foundation (NSF) where for over twenty years he served as the Controller stewarding NSF’s daily financial operations. During his tenure, NSF was recognized as a leader in federal financial management.  

After retiring from the NSF, John accepted the Smithsonian’s Deputy CFO role. John enjoys financial stewardship of the organizations he supports, which has continued into his role at the Smithsonian. He especially likes helping Smithsonian units solve their individual financial issues.