BOONE, N.C. — Keith Werner has been named chief information officer at Appalachian State University, effective March 18.

Werner currently holds the position of vice president of information technology (IT) strategy and cybersecurity at the University of North Carolina System Office, a position he has held since 2022. From 2018 to 2022, he was vice president for IT and chief information officer for the UNC System Office.

“I am confident that Keith — who has 30 years of experience delivering innovative and strategic solutions to the public sector and higher education — will ensure we are well positioned in an environment in which information technology is, on a global scale, increasing in complexity and sophistication," said App State Chancellor Sheri Everts.

She continued, “Keith has vast experience in advancing shared IT infrastructure, promoting adaptive and technical change, effective communication and collaboration, and organizational innovation and improvements, combined with demonstrated success in developing innovative and mission-driven IT strategies as well as information security best practices, and vetting and implementing Systemwide emerging technologies.”

As vice president of IT strategy and cybersecurity at the UNC System Office, Werner leads information technology policy, IT strategy, governance, information security, IT risk management and enterprise software licensing, focusing on Systemwide coordination and monitoring of constituent institution activities related to information technology and cybersecurity. In addition, he represents the UNC System on various boards, including as chair of the Board of Directors for Microelectronics Center of North Carolina (MCNC), a nonprofit, client-focused technology organization that owns and operates the North Carolina Research and Education Network, and as chair of the Cybersecurity and Privacy Committee for the North Carolina IT Strategy Board.

In his role as CIO at App State, Werner will lead a team of more than 100 information technology professionals in the areas of academic technologies, enterprise applications, IT support services, information security, infrastructure and systems, and project management. Through these areas, as well as the distributed areas of University Libraries, Business Systems, the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Student Success and Electronic Student Services, he will be responsible for developing and implementing strategic IT plans and managing IT resources and services for the university. Additionally, he will be responsible for providing vision and senior leadership for the development, coordination and use of technology, facilitating innovation and ensuring the continuity of ongoing operations.

In his previous role as UNC System CIO, Werner was responsible for oversight of the information technology operations of the UNC System, including, but not limited to, information technology policy and standards, information security, enterprise business systems, applications development, information technology infrastructure and operations, networking and communications, and software licensing. He also focused on Systemwide coordination and monitoring of constituent institution activities related to information technology.

Prior to his position at the UNC System Office, Werner worked for Ernst & Young as its public sector leader for North Carolina and South Carolina. He also served as the state CIO and first cabinet secretary for the North Carolina Department of Information Technology, where he led all technology solutions for state agencies and citizens and directed organizational operations and change management to modernize how core business needs were supported. He has held leadership roles as the deputy state CIO and the CIO for the North Carolina Department of Environment and National Resources (now the North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality).

Werner holds a Bachelor of Business Administration in management from the University of North Texas. In 2022, he was named to Chief Data Officer Magazine’s Leading Data and Technology U.S. Executives List. He is also a recipient of the Order of Long Leaf Pine — the highest honor for persons who have made significant contributions to the state and their communities through their exemplary service and exceptional accomplishments — and is a Bright Ideas award winner through Harvard’s Kennedy Ash Center for Democratic Governance and Innovation.

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Information Technology Services

At App State, technology, our Institutional data, and our human potential must be viewed as an asset, valued for its ability to transform the educational landscape of our students and enhance the effectiveness of our faculty and staff. Achieving this goal is central to our purpose and can only be reached by developing a culture in which people are valued for managing resources and consistently making decisions in ways that are aligned with, and measured against the organization's core values. Information Technology Services is committed to delivering on this value proposition by providing a technology enterprise that embraces these values in support of the academic and business missions of the Institution.

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About Information Technology Services

Appalachian State University’s Information Technology Services (ITS) is committed to providing innovative and reliable technological resources and support for teaching, research, learning and working. ITS is responsible for implementing, monitoring and maintaining all centralized information technology — such as network services, technical infrastructure, data center operations, VoIP phone lines, desktop support, academic technology, print and copier services, research computing, information security and project management. ITS is led by the chief information officer and comprises seven central IT divisions: Academic Technologies, Enterprise Applications, Information Security, Infrastructure, IT Support Services, Systems and Research Computing and the Project Management Office. Learn more at https://its.appstate.edu.

About Appalachian State University

As a premier public institution, Appalachian State University prepares students to lead purposeful lives. App State is one of 17 campuses in the University of North Carolina System, with a national reputation for innovative teaching and opening access to a high-quality, affordable education for all. The university enrolls more than 21,000 students, has a low student-to-faculty ratio and offers more than 150 undergraduate and 80 graduate majors at its Boone and Hickory campuses and through App State Online. Learn more at https://www.appstate.edu.