Michael G. Cato

Chief Information Officer (CIO) & Information Technology (IT) Leader with a focus on Higher Education

PRESENTATIONS

NERCOMP 2020 Annual Conference
Pursuing DEI for Strategic Advantage
June 25, 2020

With Sherri Braxton, Senior Director, Instructional Technology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, and Stan Waddell, Chief Information Officer, Carnegie Mellon University.

Research demonstrates that more diverse teams working in inclusive environments outperform their peers when addressing complex problems. Is it possible that emphasizing the strategic advantages of pursuing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) can help accelerate the pursuit of inclusive environments among our community? This session will explore examples of these benefits, share practical approaches to how they can be pursued, and engage in candid dialogue about what can get in the way.

Outcomes: Explore examples of the strategic benefits of inclusive workplaces * Consider approaches to translate these benefits to your organization and institution * Dialogue on the implications of higher ed IT demographic trends and statistics


CLAC 2020 Annual Conference
Panel Discussion: Emerging from the Shadow of COVID-19:  What Will Be Different? 
June, 9, 2020

With John O’Brien, EDUCAUSE CEO, Kevin Davis, CIO, Davidson College, and Carol Smith, CIO , DePauw University

Join John O’Brien, EDUCAUSE CEO, along with several CLAC CIOs for a panel discussion/lightning round and an opportunity to reflect on how we imagine Higher Education and the role of IT at our institutions changing.

Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), the Diversity Bonus, Black Lives Matter, and looking to the work ahead.
June 11, 2020

With Rochelle Newton, Senior Systems and User Services Manager, Duke University School of Law, Michael Reed, Senior VP for Inclusion and Diversity, Bowdoin College, and Julian Williams, Incoming VP of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, the University of South Carolina.

Taking Care of Ourselves - Life Design in a time of Crisis
June 11, 2020

With Joan Cheverie, Co-Founder and Partner, Fieldbrook Advising

Design Thinking, especially applied to our personal and professional lives through the Designing Your Life framework, can provide helpful approaches to navigating these especially challenging times. Join a conversation about these approaches including an exercise to explore using energy as a guide.


EDUCAUSE 2019 Annual Conference
A Conversation with African-American CIOs: Provocative, Authentic, Inclusive, Changing Dynamics
October 15, 2019

With Yvette Brown, VP for Enrollment and Digital Strategies & CIO, Barry University, Keith McIntosh, VP and CIO, University of Richmond, and Stan Waddell, CIO, Carnegie Mellon University.

This facilitated session is geared toward those on the path to senior leadership within the higher education community. This panel will explore the paths that the panelists took to senior leadership. The conversation is extensible to all participants regardless of race and may have special relevance to minorities contemplating the leap to technology leadership.

Outcomes: Dialogue with the panelists on their experiences navigating broad and varied careers as African-American CIOs * Explore lessons from the panelists' experiences and consider how these might inform their efforts to develop inclusive organizations * Recognize the advantages of IT organizations that honor difference and explore actions to advance DEI

Developing IT Professional Staff to Keep the Leadership Pipeline Flowing
October 14, 2019

With Debra Howell, Director of IT Operations, Cornell University, and Melissa Woo, Senior VP and CIO, Stony Brook University.

We invite you to join us in a shared learning experience during which we will focus on usable approaches to staff development to keep the leadership pipeline flowing. We’ll touch on topics such as delivering feedback, developing a talent management plan, and the benefits of diverse and inclusive workplace environments.

Outcomes: Learn how to use feedback as a coaching and mentoring tool * Learn how to develop a talent management plan for your organization, identifying high-potential employees * Understand the strategic benefits of diverse and inclusive teams, including multigenerational teams


#CIOCHAT Live 2019
Creating Diversity in Technology Organizations
March 15, 2019

With Jay Brodsky, Chief Digital Officer, American Geophysical Union, and Abbie Brown, Vice President and Chief Information Officer of CRICO.

Panel discussion on creating diverse organizations. Diversity is critical to succeeding at digital transformation and for building an organization that can innovate for the business.


EDUCAUSE 2017 Annual Conference
Pursuing Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Strategic Advantage
November 2, 2017
Philadelphia, PA

Global companies and management firms have long touted the benefits of diverse and inclusive organizations, highlighting increased innovation, talent retention, and competitiveness. Leading tech companies have begun the messy process of acknowledging the work they must do to make these gains. With 95% of higher education CIOs identifying themselves as white, and only 20% of them being women, isn't it time for higher ed IT to do the same? Whether through gender, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, or any of the other myriad ways teams can be diverse, is it possible that emphasizing the strategic advantages of pursuing diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) can help change the demographics of our community? This session will cover topics such as unconscious bias and research-based approaches to encourage DEI, with a focus on articulating strategic advantages to our organizations and institutions. 

Outcomes: Consider the implications of higher ed IT demographic trends and statistics * Explore examples of the strategic benefits of inclusive workplaces * Consider approaches to translate these benefits to your organization and institution


NERCOMP 2017 Annual Conference
Lessons on Listening

with Samanatha Earp, VP for Information Technology and CIO, Smith College, and Cindy Mitchell, CIO, Colby College
March 29, 2017
Providence, RI

The "listening tour" is in integral part of the 90-day plan for a new manager or leader. In this session, we will talk about ways to approach listening to your constituents—identifying key community members, asking the right questions, following up, and making everyone feel heard.

Outcomes: Make a "listening tour" interviewee list * Create a list of questions to ask * Interpret results, make an action plan, and communicate that plan


EDUCAUSE 2016 Annual Conference
The New Leadership Challenge
October 25, 2016

Today's rapid pace of technological change, coupled with the disruptive changes facing higher education, requires a new type of IT organization and, with it, new approaches to leadership. This seminar will explore the skills and competencies required to lead in this new reality and will include strategies to create and maintain high-performing organizations. Outcomes: Understand the differences between managing and leading and examine the percentage of time spent on each * Explore developmental relationships (based on Kathy Kram's work at BU) * Develop an action to help you implement key learnings from the seminar


The 2016 New York State CIO Conference (NYSCIO)
The New, New Leadership Challenge

Michael Cato, Vice President for CIS & CIO at Vassar College
Michael Kubit, Deputy Chief Information Officer at Case Western Reserve University

Today’s rapid pace of technological change coupled with the disruptive changes facing higher education, requires a new type of IT organization, and with it, new approaches to leadership. This session will explore the skills and competencies required to lead in this new reality as well as strategies required to create and maintain high performing organizations.


Faculty Director, EDUCAUSE Management Institute 2016
June 27 - July 1, 2016
Austin TX

The EDUCAUSE Management Institute is tailored to higher education IT managers with 3-5 years of experience. The institute provides a deeper foundation for enhancing those skills contributing to the successful engagement and motivation of people, such as interpersonal communication, time management, negotiation, and performance management.

The goal of the institute is not only to help improve the management skills of those who direct people, processes, and functions within campus information resources organizations, but also to provide a broader context to consider the issues of IT management in higher education.

  • Lessons Learned and Developing Yourself - June 29, 2016

    • Forming a peer cohort at the Management Institute is all about learning so that you can have a greater impact back at work. The Institute offers a unique opportunity to reflect, rethink, and renew your personal and professional successes and challenges. Hear from faculty as they share some lessons learned from the trenches and offer insights, successes, and failures from their own experiences. We will explore the practical applications of continuous improvement and learning through a candid dialogue and hands-on exercises.

  • Leadership: The Art of Possibility - July 1, 2016

    • Leadership is the unique ability to achieve extraordinary things through the efforts of a dedicated team of professionals. It is the art of turning visions into realities through the chemistry of teamwork. The ability to build and lead a team of professionals is a prime determinant of success for aspiring leaders. A natural tension exists between the fast-paced culture of IT and the slower-paced culture of higher education. The challenge for leaders, administrators and IT professionals is to develop strategies that resolve that cultural tension in ways that create new opportunities, sustain a vibrant learning environment and accelerate the art of possibility. This session will focus on the nature of leadership and the characteristics of truly effective leaders.


The CIO Minute
Published April 4, 2016


NERCOMP 2016 Annual Conference
Inclusive Services and Work Environments: What You Can Do
March 21, 2016

Providence, RI

How can information and technology services be more inclusive? What can managers and directors do to recruit a more diverse workforce and offer services that match the needs of a diverse student body? In this preconference session, participants will learn about unconscious bias, the efforts at Google to counter these biases, and the benefits of a diverse work place. We will cover the changing demographics of students and hear from institutions that have adapted or added services to meet the needs of their diverse student body.


EDUCAUSE Management Institute 2015
July 13-17, 2015

Philadelphia, PA

The EDUCAUSE Management Institute is tailored to higher education IT managers with 3-5 years of experience. The institute provides a deeper foundation for enhancing those skills contributing to the successful engagement and motivation of people, such as interpersonal communication, time management, negotiation, and performance management.

The goal of the institute is not only to help improve the management skills of those who direct people, processes, and functions within campus information resources organizations, but also to provide a broader context to consider the issues of IT management in higher education.

  • Employee Life Cycle: Hire, Inspire, Admire, Retire

    • We will address the basic concepts of managing the life cycle of an employee. Your role as a manager spans the entire employee life cycle: hiring, inspiring performance, recognizing positive feedback, and retiring after a long career with the institution.

  • Leadership: The Art of Possibility

    • Leadership is the unique ability to achieve extraordinary things through the efforts of a dedicated team of professionals. It is the art of turning visions into realities through the chemistry of teamwork. The ability to build and lead a team of professionals is a prime determinant of success for aspiring leaders. A natural tension exists between the fast-paced culture of IT and the slower-paced culture of higher education. The challenge for leaders, administrators and IT professionals is to develop strategies that resolve that cultural tension in ways that create new opportunities, sustain a vibrant learning environment and accelerate the art of possibility. This session will focus on the nature of leadership and the characteristics of truly effective leaders.


The CIO Minute
Published July 6, 2015


Reunion Class of ‘65


NERCOMP 2015 Annual Conference
THE NEW, NEW LEADERSHIP CHALLENGE: MANAGING THE TECHNOLOGY AMOEBA
March 31, 2015

with Paige Francis, CIO, Fairfield University, Mike Kubit, Deputy CIO, Case Western Reserve University and Keith 'Mac' McIntosh, Associate VP and CIO, Ithaca College

It's an exciting time in higher education technology. Today's rapid, ever-morphing amoeba-like technological advances, coupled with the disruptive changes facing higher education, require a new type of IT organization, and with it, new approaches to leadership. Whether defining and advocating for a comprehensive strategic technology vision or building and leading a "dream team" to propel innovation and adoption, it can be difficult to plan and execute the simplest of goals when the targets appear to be perpetually moving. Join senior IT leaders from four different institutions in this interactive session to explore the skills and competencies required to lead in this new reality. Additionally, we'll delve into strategies required to create and maintain high-performing organizations.

OUTCOMES: Better understand changes facing higher education and the implications for IT * Dialogue on the competencies required to be an effective leader, with the goal of viewing these exceptional requirements realistically and as "doable" * Discuss recent management research and how it can be applied to leadership


Ithaca EdTech 2015
The New IT Leadership Challenge
March 19, 2015

with Mike Kubit, Deputy CIO, Case Western Reserve University and Keith 'Mac' McIntosh, Associate VP and CIO, Ithaca College

Today’s rapid and ever-morphing pace of technological advances coupled with the disruptive changes facing higher education, require a new type of IT organization, and with it, new approaches to leadership. Senior IT Leaders from three different institutions will explore the skills and competencies required to lead in this new reality in this interactive session.  Additionally we’ll delve into strategies required to create and maintain high performing organizations. 


The New, New Leadership Challenge
EDUCAUSE Virtual Annual Conference 2014
October 1, 2014

with Mike Kubit, Deputy CIO, Case Western Reserve University and Keith 'Mac' McIntosh, Associate VP and CIO, Ithaca College

Today's rapid pace of technological change, coupled with the disruptive changes facing higher education, requires not only a new type of IT organization but also new approaches to leadership. We will explore the skills and competencies required to lead in this new reality as well as strategies required to create and maintain high-performing organizations.

OUTCOMES: Better understand the significant changes facing higher education and their implication for IT * Understand the skills and competencies required for a variety of situations and the importance of becoming an effective enterprise leader * Get the latest management research and learn how it can be applied to leadership


Faculty, EDUCAUSE Management Institute 2014
June 7-11, 2014

Seattle, WA

  • Organizational Communication - June 9, 2104

    • Communication is a vital part of your success as an IT manager, helping not only to inform the university community about IT services and plans but also to build relationships with key constituencies.

  • Leadership: The Art of Possibility - June 11, 2014

    • Leadership is the unique ability to achieve extraordinary things through the efforts of a dedicated team of professionals. It is the art of turning visions into realities through the chemistry of teamwork. The ability to build and lead a team of professionals is a prime determinant of success for aspiring leaders. A natural tension exists between the fast-paced culture of IT and the slower-paced culture of higher education. The challenge for leaders, administrators and IT professionals is to develop strategies that resolve that cultural tension in ways that create new opportunities, sustain a vibrant learning environment and accelerate the art of possibility. This session will focus on the nature of leadership and the characteristics of truly effective leaders.


Olin Innovation Lab 8
The Power of Doing Less With Less
April 9, 2013