Debra Saunders-White will come in as the first female chancellor ever for Durham’s, NC Central University. Saunders-White enters the position with a wealth of experience in the education field serving as an assistant provost for Hampton University in Virginia and as the vice chancellor of Information Technology Systems at University of North Carolina-Wilmington. In 2011 Saunders-White was appointed to the U.S. Department of education where she served as deputy assistant secretary for higher education programs.
What really sets Saunders-White apart from other candidates is her strong grasp and understanding of relevant technology and its position within an organization. After nearly 15 years across multiple departments at IBM, she was easily able to transfer her leadership, experience, and technological savvy over to her new university positions. Under her guidance, Hampton University built the “most wired university” in the nation according to Forbes Magazine. Again, at University of North Carolina, she set the strategic course for innovating and operating the information technology department.
“As a first-generation college graduate herself, Deb truly understands both the opportunity that higher education provides and the challenges that so many of our nation’s young people face in accessing and affording college,” said U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan. “She has worked tirelessly to expand access to resources that have opened doors for millions of students across the country, and her leadership has furthered our Department’s efforts to ensure more young people have the chance to go to college.”