New Polk State CIO aims to enhance student experience and success

Posted on by Polk Newsroom

Martin “Marty” Gang hasn’t officially begun his full-time tenure at Polk State College but already has big plans for the Information Technology Department.

The new Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer (CIO), Gang has done work for the College on a part-time basis since Oct. 13. Arriving with 25 years of leadership in higher education technology, Gang will transition into his role full-time on Dec. 1.

“One of the things that excites me most about joining Polk State College is being part of a campus community that’s alive with students, faculty and staff every day,” Gang said. “After several years leading technology in a primarily online environment, it’s energizing to return to a place where you can walk across campus, see learning in action and have those spontaneous hallway conversations that spark ideas and connections.”

Prior to his arrival, Gang most recently served in the same position at Empire State University in New York. Gang also held CIO roles at Lewis-Clark State College in Idaho and for the Maine Community College System. Gang had previously served in senior IT positions at Orange County Public Schools in Florida, Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and Maricopa Community Colleges in Arizona.

“I am delighted to welcome Marty Gang to the Polk State team as our new Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer,” Polk State President Angela Garcia Falconetti said. “Marty brings a distinguished record of IT leadership in higher education, and his expertise will be instrumental in advancing the College’s technology infrastructure, enhancing innovation and supporting student success.”

In addition to multiple professional certifications, Gang holds a bachelor’s degree in education from Whitworth University in Washington. Gang earned his Master of Science in Management/Information Systems from the Florida Institute of Technology in 2009.

At Polk State, Gang hopes to use technology to enhance student and employee experience by making systems more user-friendly and efficient which will allow all to use technology more efficiently in their roles. He also hopes to strengthen cybersecurity and data protection as well as establish College-wide analytics frameworks that will establish standards, processes and tools to enable secure, reliable and actionable data to guide decision-making and improve student success.

“There’s something truly special about the sound of classrooms, the energy of student life and the sense of shared purpose you feel when people come together in person to learn and create,” Gang added. “I’m thrilled to bring my experience in digital innovation into such a dynamic, hands-on environment.”