A CTO’s Role in Driving Transformation

Simon Blackwell didn’t have a long-standing career in academia before he became Chief Transformation Officer (CTO) of Mount Saint Mary’s University. His background included ecommerce banking, aerospace, and Wall Street. The institution brought him on initially as a consultant, saw promise, and the rest is history. Whether small or large innovative projects, his approach is to first create a framework to instill a common understanding of the transformation, enlist a committee of manageable size with fresh thinkers, then find the intersection of what they’re good at and passionate about. Blackwell provides many examples with detail in this Top of Mind podcast.

Highlights include:

• Understand how to split your innovative efforts 70/20/10
• Learn how to identify big opportunities by repurposing technology assets for little or no cost
• Find out how to motivate staff to adjust despite initial resistance
• Hear how thought leadership and projects can extend beyond the realm of IT and still benefit your institution

Columnist: Katelyn Ilkani - Tambellini Analyst

Katelyn Ilkani is responsible for The Tambellini Group’s interaction and outreach with higher education institutions. She collaborates with market leaders to identify trends, challenges, and market experiences. She is an innovator in education and provides strategic guidance to higher education executives based on best practices, technology advances, and emerging threats. Ms. Ilkani is responsible for guiding and directing The Tambellini Group’s Cybersecurity Research Practice.