Teresa Sanford Appointed Director of IT&S
Teresa Sanford, an administrator in Guilford College’s Department of Information Technology and Services (IT&S) since 1992, was appointed director of IT&S March 15 following a national search.
As director, Sanford will be responsible for leading IT&S staff in the provision of academic and administrative technology services to the campus community, managing college-wide technological projects and managing budgeting and planning for all IT&S facilities, equipment and human resources.
She will lead the development of a long-range plan for IT&S by 2012, as prescribed in The Strategic Plan for Guilford College 2011-2016: Outcomes of a Guilford Education.
She was director of user services beginning in November 2008 and associate director for application development and support for 10 years beginning in May 1998. She also held positions as assistant director of customer service and assistant director of computer services after being hired by the College in 1992.
“Teresa will step in and put her considerable experience to work in this new role right away,” said Jon Varnell, vice president for administration. “I anticipate a seamless transition in leadership based on her knowledge of IT and the Guilford community.
“One of Teresa’s strengths is that she has the ability to think in a wide scope; she is not zeroed in on one area of IT,” he added. “She has a working understanding of the work accomplished across the department. And, as demonstrated over time, she is very student-focused.”
Enhancing information technology as a means of strengthening communications and information literacy education is among the goals of the College’s new strategic plan, which was approved by the Board of Trustees Feb. 26. The long-range plan for IT&S will include projections for needs in networks and systems, instructional technology and staff.
Sanford has 28 years of experience in mainframe, personal computer hardware systems administration, software support, technical maintenance, systems development, programming and training.
Before coming to Guilford, she was employed as a programmer, network coordinator and systems support representative with Lee County Government in Ft. Myers, Fla., and as a regional technical services manager for a computer firm in Roswell, Ga.
At the College, she was the recipient of the first Bruce B. Stewart Award for Community Service in 2006. She served as clerk of staff and established Café Bauman—an exam-break opportunity for students. She is active in the local youth sports community.
Sanford is a 1982 graduate of Atlantic Christian College in Wilson, N.C., with a degree in business administration. She has completed additional training in the Educause Management Program.
