The University of Utah, the University of Arkansas, and Savannah State University named chief information officers (CIOs) to lead campus technology operations and digital strategy. Utah created its first enterprise CIO position, and Arkansas formalized an interim appointment.
The appointments put campus infrastructure, enterprise technology coordination, and digital strategy under new or expanded leadership.
Utah names Donna Roach enterprise CIO
The University of Utah named Donna Roach its first enterprise CIO, effective Nov. 1, according to an Oct. 30 university announcement.
The new position will coordinate technology leadership across the university’s academic, research, health sciences, and clinical operations. Its scope includes strategic planning, enterprise architecture, cybersecurity, data, artificial intelligence (AI), and technology investments.
Roach joined University of Utah Health in 2020 and became its system chief digital and information officer in December 2025. She brings more than four decades of technology leadership experience across government, higher education, and healthcare.
Under the university’s new technology leadership structure, Jake Johansen will serve as CIO for University Technology Services, overseeing enterprise applications, platforms, and technology services supporting university operations and academics. Johansen previously served as interim university CIO. Trevor Long will serve as chief information security officer following his interim service in that role.
Arkansas names Jannette Akridge senior vice provost and CIO
The University of Arkansas named Jannette Akridge senior vice provost for digital strategy and CIO, effective Nov. 2. The university’s Nov. 5 announcement formalizes the interim IT Services leadership role Akridge assumed in April.
Akridge will oversee IT, cybersecurity, enterprise systems and Workday, research technology, data and analytics, process innovation, and AI functions.
She previously served as associate vice chancellor of strategic data and process innovation. Before joining the university, Akridge spent more than two decades at Walmart, where her work included global data governance, enterprise dashboards, and predictive models.
Her appointment supports a three-year IT modernization initiative to strengthen technology services for student learning, research, and daily work. The university said the initiative will improve institutional data use and provide dashboards to help identify opportunities for proactive student support.
Savannah State names Arthur Williamson CIO
Savannah State University selected Arthur Williamson as CIO to lead its information technology strategy and operations, according to a Nov. 2 press release.
Williamson will focus on strengthening campus technology infrastructure, improving digital services, and supporting the technology needs of students, faculty, and staff.
He joins Savannah State after more than a decade at Florence-Darlington Technical College in Florence, S.C., where he most recently served as director of information technology. He served on the South Carolina Technical College System’s Critical Infrastructure Advisory Group, contributing to discussions about technology infrastructure and institutional security.
Williamson’s experience spans higher education and the financial sector, with expertise in IT operations, cybersecurity, and infrastructure. At Savannah State, he will advance technology solutions that improve the campus experience and support the university’s long-term strategic priorities, according to the university.
