Rafael Espinosa has been named the chief information officer and associate vice president for the Office of Information Technology at Stanislaus State.
“I am excited and honored to have been chosen CIO and AVP of technology," Espinosa said. “I look forward to being a part of Stan State and the Turlock community. The Stan State mission of creating an inclusive learning environment is particularly appealing and I hope my background, skills and enthusiasm significantly contribute to that mission.”
Espinosa brings 37 years of experience related to IT, biomedicine and cybersecurity at the University of Chicago.
“Rafael’s experience and leadership will be invaluable as we work to align OIT’s programs and projects with the University Strategic Plan, strengthen our partnerships with faculty and enhance the delivery of OIT services to the campus community,” said Darrell Haydon, CFO and vice president for Business and Finance at Stan State.
Espinosa graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Biology from Northwestern University in 1980 before working as a biological researcher and cytogeneticist within the Section of Hematology/Oncology at the University of Chicago. Espinosa spent 20 years in the role, where he would develop a web-based application database to collect cytogenetic patient data from more than 20 countries.
Most recently, he spent eight years serving as executive director of the Academic and Administrative Applications Group (AAA), a sub-department of the Dean’s Administrative Suite in the Biological Sciences Division at the University of Chicago. Espinosa was tasked with the design, development and maintenance of IT systems supporting the academic, research and administrative needs of the Dean’s Suite and the university’s Pritzker School of Medicine, including student management systems, student research projects, financial aid, admissions and administrative core.
As a member of the Biological Sciences Division senior administrator’s team, Espinosa played a key role in the division’s business and management strategy, in addition to serving as a thought leader on the university’s Technology & Innovation in Medical Education Committee.
Espinosa’s proficiency in research, education and technology will serve him well as he embarks on a new chapter at Stan State.
Special thanks to the CIO Search Committee chaired by Jason Myers, associate vice president of Faculty Affairs. The committee also included Frank Borrelli, support services manager and record retention officer; David Lindsay, professor, Department of Accounting; Shradha Tibrewal, director, Faculty Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning; Nathan Zierfuss-Hubbard, information security officer; and Merril Matthew, student representative.
Gratitude is also extended to Matt Collins who served as Interim CIO since February 2018.