Charles Lanham Named as Vice Provost and Chief Information Officer at WWU

Charles Lanham has been hired as vice provost for information technology/chief information officer (CIO) at Western Washington University.

Lanham will begin work at Western on July 24, 2017. He succeeds Greg Smith, who has served as interim vice provost for information technology/CIO over the past year, after John Lawson retired at the end of the 2015-16 school year.

“We are excited that Chuck Lanham will be our new vice provost for information technology/chief information officer.  He will bring to Western a wealth of experience, knowledge, and leadership skills that will help position the university very advantageously with respect to technology and all the important ways it supports just about everything we do,” said Western Provost Brent Carbajal.

Lanham has a master’s degree in Business Administration from the University of Idaho and over 20 years of progressive higher education experience in the field of information technology.

“I am humbled and incredibly excited to be joining Western Washington University as the new vice provost for Information Technology and chief information officer,” Lanham said. “I have enjoyed the many conversations with various members of the University community, who are extremely dedicated and passionate about the mission of Western. I look forward to leading a dynamic and talented group of IT professionals to the next level of strategic success in service to the University's faculty, students and staff.”

Lanham now is associate chief information officer at Portland State University where he coordinates campus-wide technology, strategic and tactical planning and ensures delivery of high-quality user support, academic research technologies, voice and communications, structured cabling infrastructure, classroom technologies, custom web development and student computer labs.

Prior to Portland State, Lanham served from 2006 to 2013 as senior director for Information Technology Services (ITS) at the University of Idaho. He also served as director and associate director of ITS at the University of Idaho. He has received awards and other recognitions in his field.

The vice provost for information technology serves as the chief information officer (CIO) of the University.  The vice provost functions as a planner, leader and spokesperson for technology at Western and is responsible for providing leadership and administrative management for all units within Information Technology Services (ITS).  The vice provost works in collaboration with the University’s other executive officers to implement the University’s mission and is an active and visible leader both within the University and greater community.  

The vice provost supervises the areas of Academic Technology and User Services, Enterprise Application Services, Enterprise Infrastructure Services and the Information Security Office.  In addition, the vice provost works with all areas of the University to set the direction and vision for technology at Western.