The University of New England has selected Dawn G. Stoyanoff, Ph.D., as its next chief information officer.
Stoyanoff, who most recently served as assistant vice president for enterprise applications and services at the University of Chicago, is a higher education technology leader with more than 30 years of experience driving digital transformation, enterprise systems modernization, and AI-driven analytics. She began her role at UNE on Dec. 1.
“Dr. Stoyanoff’s exceptional communication skills, strategic vision, and deep technical expertise make her ideally suited to lead UNE’s technology initiatives at this pivotal moment,” said Jim Irwin, senior vice president of finance and administration. “Her experience implementing transformative technology solutions at major research universities will be invaluable as we advance our own enterprise-wide systems that support our mission and our artificial intelligence initiatives.”
The appointment comes as UNE expands its technology infrastructure to support growing academic programs, research activities, and operational needs across its multiple campuses and online platforms. As chief information officer, Stoyanoff will lead IT teams focused on service excellence, will champion cybersecurity and data privacy initiatives, will advance the use of analytics and cloud-based systems and will ensure transparent technology governance.
“I am thrilled to join UNE at such an exciting time for the institution,” Stoyanoff said. “The University’s commitment to innovation and student success creates tremendous opportunities to leverage technology in meaningful ways. I’m especially energized by UNE’s mission, its collaborative culture, and the passionate people who bring it to life every day. I look forward to collaborating with faculty, professional staff, and students to build systems that enhance learning, advance research, and support UNE’s continued growth.”
At the University of Chicago, Stoyanoff leads institution-wide enterprise applications strategy and digital modernization toward cloud-native and SaaS platforms. She guides a multidisciplinary team of 100 staff members, overseeing resource allocation, professional development, and compliance with institutional policies while spearheading AI and automation deployments that have improved data accuracy and operational efficiencies.
Previously, as associate vice chancellor and chief information officer at the University of Arkansas, Stoyanoff led the transformation of IT and business operations, achieving $3.5 million in annual savings through shared-services implementation. She oversaw the implementation of Workday and Slate, enterprise systems that manage everything from human resources and finance to student recruitment and admissions, improving system reliability and increasing user satisfaction across campuses.
During her tenure as executive director of system-wide shared information services at the University of Texas System, Stoyanoff designed and implemented a shared-services framework that generated $18 million in annual savings across 16 institutions. She managed a $35 million budget and a 150-member team delivering enterprise resource planning modernization, business intelligence, project management, and cybersecurity solutions.
Stoyanoff has published research on enterprise resource planning system selection in the cloud computing era. Her expertise spans enterprise resource planning, student information systems, customer relationship management platforms, cybersecurity, data governance, and artificial intelligence integration.
Stoyanoff earned a doctorate in organization and management from Capella University, a master’s in communications from Northeastern Illinois University, and a bachelor’s in business administration and speech communications from Monmouth College.
