Tom Dugas
Director of Information Security & Chief Information Security Officer (CISO)
Duquesne University
Tom is responsible for leading the Information (cyber) security program to protect the availability, confidentiality, and integrity of data and systems at Duquesne University. He is also responsible for leading and managing the Identity and Access Management and Data Governance initiatives at Duquesne.
In 2019, Tom was recognized as the CISO of the Year by the Pittsburgh Technology Council. Tom serves as a leader within the region as a Co-leader of the Greater Pittsburgh CISO Group, a member of the Advisory Board for the Pittsburgh CIO Forum, and part of the Governing Body of the Pittsburgh CIO Executive Summit.
Tom is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP).
John Ellis, PhD
Deputy CIO, Library & Information Technology Services
Emory University
John came to Emory in November of 2003 as co-director of Academic Technologies and has since held multiple leadership positions, most recently serving as Director of Integration. In that role he directed IT Service Management, Marketing & Communications, Identity Management, Web Hosting, and Integration Middleware.
Starting his career as an academician, John taught philosophy for a decade at the University of Memphis before moving into administration full-time. He has enjoyed a wide range of positions in Information Technology over the years and brings a perspective informed by academic as well as IT-related experiences at multiple levels of the organization.
Keith Fowlkes
Vice President, Technology
E&I Cooperative Services
E&I Cooperative Services is the largest non-profit buying cooperative for higher education in the U.S. In his role as VP of Technology, Keith works with technology leaders at peer institutions to develop new strategies to help E&I members save time and money on technology procurements.
With over 25 years of experience in higher education technology, Keith continues to be a thought leader. He frequently speaks at events, contributes as an author for several national publications, and writes his own technology blog.
Keith co-founded and serves as the executive director of the HESS Consortium, which is focused on cloud-based systems collaboration and purchasing for member institutions.
Ron Kraemer
Veteran Chief Information Officer & Vice President – IT
University of Notre Dame, University of Wisconsin
Ron Kraemer recently retired as the Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information and Digital Officer at the University of Notre Dame.
Before joining Notre Dame, Kraemer was a member of the leadership team of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, most recently serving as its chief information officer and vice provost for information technology.
Kraemer now serves as CEO of Kraemer and Associates, LLC and remains active in the higher education IT service community, helping higher education institutions and organizations develop strategies, leaders, and programs.
