Biography

Dr. Robert Placido is the Chief Information Officer for the University of Maine System, where he oversees IT services across seven public universities and leads initiatives that align technology strategy with academic excellence and student success. With more than 25 years of higher education leadership, he has served in senior academic and technology roles, including Vice Chancellor of Academic and Student Affairs at the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education and Associate Provost for Technology and CIO at Texas Woman’s University.

Holding a PhD in Higher Education–Statistics from the University of North Texas and an MBA in Finance from Southern Methodist University, Dr. Placido combines deep expertise in academic policy, data-driven decision-making, and IT innovation. He is an early adopter and advocate of artificial intelligence, exploring its transformative potential to improve learning, operations, and workforce development.

In addition to his leadership roles, Dr. Placido is the author of two books: Apathy by Design: Sparking Deep Learning with AI (2025), which offers a practical blueprint for revitalizing higher education through AI-powered engagement, and The Architect of Whispers (2025), a fantasy novel that explores themes of resilience, trust, and transformation. His professional mission is to advance educational innovation through collaboration, service, and the strategic use of technology.