The following message is from the Chief of Staff:
Campus Colleagues,
We are pleased to announce that Jonathan Piersol has accepted the position of Chief Information Officer (CIO) at UMW and will start in the role on May 13.
Jonathan brings more than 30 years of experience in IT leadership across higher education, government contracting, and the private sector.
He most recently served as the Vice-Chancellor and Chief Information Officer for the University System of Georgia. In this role, he oversaw technology strategy and services for 26 public colleges and universities, including chairing the CIO Advisory Council, composed of chief information officers from each institution. Jonathan has been responsible for setting the strategic vision for digital transformation, modernizing legacy systems to drive enhanced user experiences, operational agility, and institutional effectiveness.
Prior to joining the University System of Georgia, Jonathan served as Associate Vice President and Chief Information Officer at Howard University in Washington, D.C., where he provided strategic oversight for the university’s Workday Cloud ERP deployment—encompassing human capital management, finance, and payroll—as part of a broader institutional transformation. His leadership supported Howard’s mission to become a more interactive, student- and research-centered institution committed to excellence in teaching and learning.
Jonathan holds a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from Strayer College, a Master of Science in Information Technology from The George Washington University, and an Executive MBA from Georgetown University. He is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM). A proud combat veteran, Jonathan served honorably in the United States Marine Corps from 1986 to 1992.
UMW’s Chief Information Officer (CIO) leads the information technology strategy and operations. This executive role is critical for advancing the University’s mission through innovative and effective use of technology and oversees IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, administrative computing, computing support, digital transformation, and data governance. They work collaboratively across campus units to enhance teaching, learning, and research through technology integration. This partnership extends beyond traditional IT support to include innovative solutions that advance pedagogical excellence and support faculty development in digital literacy and technology-enhanced instruction.
On behalf of the search committee, thank you for participating in the search process, and thanks in advance for joining us in welcoming Jonathan to Mary Washington this May. He will overlap with retiring CIO Hall Cheshire for a couple of weeks, and we also hope you will share our retirement congratulations with Hall via email or as you see him through May.
Sincerely,
Jeffrey McClurken, Chief of Staff & Vice President of Strategy, Search Committee Chair