ICT Futures Initiative

 

ICT Futures Teams issue final report, successful search results in new CIO

After eight months work, the systemwide ICT Futures Teams, which included ICT staff, college and unit faculty and staff and others, wrapped up their work in September 2021 to envision the future of IT services at New Mexico State University by providing feedback, setting priorities, implementing changes and assessing progress. Their report provided ICT staff with plans to address infrastructure and user needs and to prepare for the future through the selection of a new Chief Information Officer. A search committee was formed and a successful search conducted. Thomas Bunton was hired as NMSU’s CIO and Associate Vice President and began his work in April 2022. Under his leadership, progress is continuing in a number of areas based on the ICT Futures Team recommendations including creating a dual reporting line for the Chief Information Security Officer to both the Chief Information Officer and to the Regents Audit and Risk Committee as well as project management restructuring and successfully improving our cyber security rating on public facing IT assets.




 

ICT Futures Team

Name Department
Ruth Johnston; Vice Chancellor & CFO Chancellor's Office
Lenny Martinez; Chief of Staff (Chancellor) Chancellor's Office
Carlos Lobato; Chief Privacy Officer/Chief Audit Officer, Inter. Chancellor's Office
Melissa Chavira; Exec Director, Marketing, Web, Brand Development Marketing and Communications
Abel Sanchez; R&D Info Security Analyst, Sr. Physical Science Laboratory
Dacia Sedillo; Registrar, University Student Records Office Student Success
Sherry Kollmann; Vice Provost, Digital Learning Initiative Provost's Office
Luis Cifuentes; Vice President for Research Research
Enrico Pontelli; Dean, College of Arts & Sciences College of Arts & Sciences
Carlo Mora-Monge; Department Head, Management College of Business
Yesenia Palma-Dominguez; Chief Support Officer College of ACES College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences
Pam Jeffries; Director, Enterprise IT Information and Communication Technologies
Curtis Ewing; Assistant Director, ICT Systems Administration Information and Communication Technologies
Gena Jones; Assistant Vice President, Human Resource Services Human Resource Services
Louis Bear Eagle; Systems Analyst Sr., NMSU-Grants NMSU Grants Campus
Julia Parra; Chair, Faculty Senate College of Education, Faculty Senate
Kelly Brooks; Vice President for Business & Finance, DACC Doña Ana Community College
Minerva Baumann; Media Relations Officer Marketing and Communications
Robert Herrera; Interim Executive Director, PD&E, F&S Facilities and Services
Dave Maddox; Consultant
Lauren Goldstein; Organizational Development Specialist Chancellor's Office
Jon Webster; Asst. Director F&S Project Design/COVID Project Manager Facilities and Services
Gena Barela; Executive Specialist Chancellor's Office

Mission

Due to senior level and other retirements in NMSU’s Information and Communication Technologies unit effective July 1 as well as increasing needs for ICT to support the NMSU system, the organization was reassigned to the Chancellor’s office, within Strategic Systems Services, and to align with Goal 4 priorities of NMSU LEADS 2025 Strategic Plan.

The ICT Futures Team, led by Ruth Johnston, vice chancellor and strategic finance officer, working closely with the NMSU system stakeholders, and Norma Grijalva, chief information officer, will determine:

  • Interim leadership and staffing plans by the end of May
  • Hire an interim chief information officer by the end of June
  • Create a business plan by the end of August which will help launch a search for a permanent CIO

Nine Tiger Teams involving ICT staff, college and unit faculty and staff, students, administrative leadership and others were appointed to review and get input on current operations and present recommendations in the following areas:

  • Strategic Planning, including governance and priority setting ­– Ruth Johnston, team lead
  • ICT Operations – Melissa Chavira, team lead
  • User Experience, including automation needs – Carlo Mora-Monge, team lead
  • Institutional Data – Lauren Goldstein, team lead
  • Budget, Finance, Business Model – Dave Maddox, team lead
  • Systems Integration and needs- Lauren Goldstein, team lead
  • Risk Management, Privacy and Security – Carlos Lobato, team lead
  • Organizational Structure and work environment- Gena Jones, team lead
  • Getting to the Cloud/Physical assets – Melissa Chavira, team lead