This year we are excited to have Dr. Thomas Bunton as our keynote as he discusses the challenges and experiences with cybersecurity in his role as CIO at Kansas State University.  Below is his bio.

Dr. Thomas Bunton is the Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Kansas State University. In this role, he provides information technology leadership throughout the university, including teaching, learning, research, and administrative environments.

Before this role, Bunton was the Associate Vice Chancellor and Chief Information Officer at New Mexico State University and the Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer at the University of Arkansas at Little Rock. He also held various leadership roles at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee and Purdue University, where he led large-scale technological and organizational transformations that included implementing centers of excellence, drafting and executing IT strategic plans, and rationalizing and integrating complex IT portfolios.

Bunton is passionate about higher education and its role in society, particularly social mobility. He spearheads efforts and outreach to increase affordability, access, and student success. His outreach efforts include mentoring high school students interested in information technology careers and being a regular lecturer to incoming first-generation students. He’s strongly committed to illuminating and providing frictionless educational pathways for students who may otherwise lack experience navigating the sometimes confusing and unfamiliar environments associated with higher education.