Dennis Ravenelle
Biography
Mr. Ravenelle's thirty years of professional experience includes stints as COO, CIO/CTO, and CEO of both public and private sector technology enterprises, as well as more than fifteen years of consulting in management and information technology (IT) to such clients as Fidelity Investments, Dun & Bradstreet, Smith & Nephew plc, Tufts New England Medical Center, and Paramount Studios. He has architected and operated networks and applications and developed policy, procedure and best-practices documentation in support of vast information technology infrastructures. He currently leads the effort to integrate the networks and networking organizations of the University's Central Administration (UIS) and the Faculty of Arts and Sciences (FAS IT). He also serves as Secretary of the Board of Directors of the U.S. Chapter of the IT Service Management Forum (itSMF USA), and has previously held the Knowledge Management and Certification Portfolios. As Certification Chair during the UK Office of Government Commerce (OGC) competitive activities recompetition (CAR) initiative and the launch of ITIL version 3, he led efforts to maintain open communications between the OGC and the ITSM community and facilitated the launch of a major initiative to introduce IT Service Management standards and best practices into technology and management graduate school curricula. He received the 2006 itSMF President's Award for his contributions. He is also a member of the itSMF International delegation to ISO/IEC JTC1 SC7, where he participates in the standard-setting activities of several workgroups including IT Governance. He also participated in the governance and development of the EXIN TUV ISO/IEC 20000 International Certification Program. Prior to joining Harvard, at the University of Massachusetts, he elevated a best-efforts skunk works network to one of the most robust statewide networks in the country, supporting the Internet and Internet2 access and data transport needs of the Commonwealth's higher education and K12 communities, public libraries and several state agencies. He served as CIO/CTO, was the chief architect and managed the development of Travelago.com, an acclaimed streaming video travel portal. As CIO/CTO and then as CEO of the Massachusetts Corporation for Educational Telecommunications (MCET), the award-winning satellite and Internet distance education network of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, he launched an educational portal and significantly enhanced both the satellite network and MCET's Internet presence. Mr. Ravenelle's career began in the early years of competition in the telecommunications industry, where he quickly earned recognition for the innovative applications that he developed. He acquired a declining communications company and expanded it nationally; successfully selling it to a young protege groomed to continue it. He subsequently managed the data wiring division of a major IBEW-affiliated electrical contractor, overseeing large infrastructure projects for such clients as Digital Equipment Corp. and The Children's Hospital (Boston). An accomplished leader, teacher, and mentor, he has participated in projects and field studies on the Processes of Consulting with students of the Harvard Business School, been an adjunct Assistant Professor of Management at Worcester Polytechnic Institute, Chairman of the Worcester Area Chamber of Commerce Business Education Committee, a director and Program Chair of the New England Domino and Notes Special Interest Group. He was co-founder and first president of the itSMF New England Local Interest Group. With a keen interest in international activities, he was a founder and Vice President of the Worcester-Russia Initiative for Education, a nonprofit foundation providing business education to aspiring entrepreneurs in Russia. He has also served as Treasurer and Director of the International Center of Worcester (ICW) at Clark University. Fluent in French, he has lectured and written on technology matters in French and English, and has appeared on the internationally syndicated cable television program Bonjour. He was a Founder, Director, and President of the Boston Chapter of the Richelieu International, a francophone service club.EDUCAUSE Presentations
Membership with EDUCAUSE
| Status: | Yes, current member |