Andrea Ballinger is a nationally recognized higher education executive, digital transformation strategist, and award-winning chief information officer (CIO). As CIO at RPI, she leads enterprise digital transformation strategy, guiding the intersection of technology, data, cybersecurity, research, and emerging AI capabilities. She is currently leading efforts to responsibly integrate agentic AI into teaching, learning, research, and administrative operations while modernizing institutional technology platforms and strengthening data-informed decision-making across the university. 

Prior to joining RPI, Andrea served as Vice Provost and Chief Information Officer at Oregon State University, where she led enterprise technology strategy for one of the nation’s leading public research universities. Earlier in her career, she held senior IT leadership roles at Louisiana State University, Illinois State University, and the University of Illinois. 

With more than 30 years of experience spanning higher education and the banking industry, Andrea is widely recognized for her ability to unite people around a shared vision. Her leadership has earned numerous national honors, including the Info-Tech CIO Award, the 2025 SIM PDX CIO of the Year Award, and induction into the CIO Hall of Fame in 2026.