Dr. Mike Kelly, CEO and Principal Advisor of Cronin Data Advisors, was never formally educated or trained in information technology and data. After earning his bachelor’s in history from West Chester University of Pennsylvania, Mike completed a Master's in Student Personnel Services at the University of South Carolina. For his first step on the career ladder, Mike served as counselor and director for rural college-bound high school students in a Federal TRIO program from 1995 to 2004. The vast majority of these students came from low-income homes and would be the first in their families to attend college. It was challenging to apply student development theories at a time when the Internet was creating the first digital divide, erecting fresh barriers for first-gen students who lacked hands-on computing experience and access to technology. And that’s when Mike’s pivot toward systems and data began. After leading IT transformation in undergraduate admissions at South Carolina and serving as a Project Manager for enterprise data projects, Mike served as Chief Data Officer for the University of South Carolina System for more than a decade. Those years spanned the role's inception to the completion of CarolinaAnalytics—a comprehensive, cloud-based, AI-ready data lake and visualization platform that enables insights across the core data domains of Student, Administration & Finance, Learning Management System, and Workforce/Human Resources. After nearly 12 years as Chief Data Officer, Mike retired and launched Cronin Data Advisors to assist colleges and universities with their data needs, from collection to stewardship, data enablement, and fluency. Mike also teaches professional development courses in data governance, data storytelling, and data literacy for EDUCAUSE. Beyond his professional endeavors, Mike enjoys camping, hiking, wildlife rescue and rehabilitation, and is the proud adoptive and foster-dad to several rescue hound dogs.
Rene Eborn, newly appointed CIO of Weber State University, will serve as the first keynote speaker of the 2026 UVU Data Summit. With more than three decades of experience in higher education and technology, she is known for leading digital transformation and building innovative, sustainable processes. Her leadership at institutions such as Western Governors University and Southern New Hampshire University reflects a deep commitment to advancing education through strategic technology. Rene holds an advanced degree in Education with an emphasis in Adult Learning and Technology in Post-Secondary Education. She has completed the Harvard Program on Negotiation and Leadership and earned certifications in Digital Transformation and Design Thinking from MIT and Stanford. Her expertise and vision continue to inspire progress in higher education through technology-driven solutions and cultural evolution.
