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Information Technology Division

ITD Vice President’s Office

Yvette Clark

Clark, Yvette

Vice President for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer

Ms. Clark arrived at MTSU in August 2021. Before joining MTSU, she was the Executive Director of Information Technology Services (ITS) at Tennessee Tech University (TTU) for four years.  Ms. Clark also served in two other leadership positions within the ITS division, Director of Academic and Client Technologies (ACT) for two and a half years and Assistant Director of ACT for a year and a half.  Before joining the central ITS staff at TTU, she was a Research and Development Engineer at the TTU, Center for the Management, Utilization, and Protection of Water Resources, conducting and managing research projects and providing support for a broad spectrum of technology.  The majority of the projects included working with cross-disciplinary teams of faculty and graduate students to develop state-of-the-art turnkey systems using the cutting-edge technology available at the time. Ms. Clark specialized in Water Resource Planning using Geographic Information Systems linked to water quality and quantity models. In addition, she served as an adjunct instructor for Civil and Environmental Engineering and Chemical Engineering for several years.

Ms. Clark holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Chemical Engineering from the Colorado School of Mines and a Master of Science in Civil and Environmental Engineering from Tennessee Tech University.


Michael Barton

Barton, Michael

Assistant Vice President for Client Services and Classroom Technology 

Michael Barton serves as ITD’s Assistant Vice President for Client Services and Classroom Technology, overseeing operations including Desktop Support, Classroom Technology, and the Help Desk.

Michael formerly served as ITD’s Director of Enterprise Server Services from 2016 to 2022.

Before coming to MTSU, Michael served as Sr. Manager of Identity and Access Management at Princeton University. He was with Princeton for nearly 18 years, serving in various positions, including information security, collaboration services, systems administration, and middleware administration.

Michael earned his degree in computer science from Ohio University and has over 35 years of IT experience.  In addition to his time with Princeton University, Michael has held IT positions at Hahnemann University (Philadelphia), the global law firm of Morgan, Lewis, and Baldwin-Wallace College (Berea, Ohio).


Emily Harper

Harper, Emily

Director of IT Business Operations 

Emily Harper serves as Director of IT Business Operations, overseeing the budget and personnel processes for the Information Technology Division, including accounts payable, accounts receivable, procurement, financial reporting and forecasting, policy adherence, staff recruitment, and performance management.  

Emily joined the Information Technology Division in March 2000 as Voice Mail Coordinator, later becoming Assistant Director for Account Services in ITD’s Unified Communications department.

An MTSU alumnus, Emily earned her Bachelor of Business Administration degree in 1998 and is currently pursuing a Master of Business Administration degree from MTSU’s Jennings A. Jones College of Business.


Lisa Maas

Maas, Lisa

Associate Vice President of Enterprise Application Services 

Lisa Maas serves as ITD’s Associate Vice President of Enterprise Application Services, overseeing the operations of the university’s Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) software Ellucian Banner and all third-party integrations to the ERP.  Before assuming the AVP of EAS responsibilities, she served as ITD’s Executive Director of Enterprise Application Services for fourteen months leading several digital modernization projects. 

Before joining MTSU, Maas served as Director of Enterprise Application Services at Tennessee Tech University (TTU) from 2018 – 2022.  Prior roles at TTU included serving as Enterprise Analyst from 2015 – 2018, Director of Web and Digital Media from 2012 – 2015, and Systems Analyst from 1994 – 2012. 

Maas has over 30 years of IT experience and holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Computer Science from Union University and a Master of Professional Studies degree in Strategic Leadership from Tennessee Tech University. 


Chad Mullis

Mullis, Chad

Associate Vice President for Infrastructure Services

Chad Mullis serves as ITD’s Associate Vice President for Infrastructure Services, which includes networking and enterprise server services.

Since 2005, Mr. Mullis has served in various IT positions at MTSU including systems administrator 2, director of Business and Finance Technology Support Services, and director of Enterprise Server Services.

Mr. Mullis holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Recording Industry (Production and Technology), and a Master of Science degree in Accounting and Information Systems from MTSU.


Albert Whittenberg

Whittenberg, Albert

Assistant Vice President, Academic and Instructional Technologies 

Albert Whittenberg serves as the Assistant Vice President for Academic and Instructional Technologies responsible for the areas of custom application development, digital signage, academic programming, statistical consultation and technology integration into teaching and learning. He oversees the work of the Center for Technologies and Training (CTAT) and co-directs the university’s Learning, Teaching and Innovative Technologies Center (LT&ITC).  Before coming to MTSU in 2006, Dr. Whittenberg was the Director of Educational Technology at the University of Illinois, Springfield for four years as well as the Director for the Center of Teaching Arts and Technology at Roane State Community College for eight years.

Dr. Whittenberg holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Management Information Systems from Tennessee Technological University, a Master of Science in Technological and Adult Education from the University of Tennessee, a Master of Arts in History from the University of Illinois and a PhD in Public History from MTSU.


Deb Zsigalov

Assistant Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer 

Deb Zsigalov joined ITD in February 2022 as Assistant Vice President and Chief Information Security Officer. Before coming to MTSU, Zsigalov had served as Chief Information Security Officer for Tennessee Tech University (TTU) since 2013. Before that time, she worked on the Information Security Team at CGS Administrators in Nashville (2010-2013) and in various technology leadership roles from 1997-2010, eventually becoming VP of Compliance and Quality Assurance at Bankrate.com in North Palm Beach, Florida.

Deb Zsigalov earned a bachelor’s degree in Marine Transportation Business Management from State University of New York Maritime and earned a U.S. Coast Guard Third Mate Unlimited license. She is a Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), Certified Information Systems Auditor (CISA) and Certified in Risk and Information Systems Control (CRISC) and also earned an MBA in Information Systems Management from Tennessee Tech 2019.


Cassie Climer

Mullins, Cassie

Sr. Administrative Associate 

Cassie Climer serves as the Sr. Administrative Associate to the Vice President of Information Technology and Chief Information Officer. Ms. Climer is direct support to the Vice President while overseeing the office needs and supervising student workers.

Cassie joined MTSU in 2005 as Executive Aid in the College of Education and transferred to ITD in 2007. Prior to MTSU she served as office manager/secretary for the State of TN Vocational Rehabilitation, Department of Human Services and Department of Children’s Services.

While completing the Administrative Business program at MTSU, Cassie was a student worker in the Accounts Payable Office. She classifies as an “active” Certified Administrative Professional with the International Association of Administrative Professionals.