Cynthia Golden Named Director of Pitt’s CIDDE

Cynthia Golden

Cynthia Golden, a vice president of the nonprofit professional association EDUCAUSE, has been named the new director of the University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Instructional Development and Distance Education (CIDDE), effective August 1, 2009, Pitt Provost James V. Maher has announced.

Based in Washington, D.C., and Boulder, Colo., EDUCAUSE serves higher education information technology professionals in the areas of instruction and learning, research and scholarship, and management and leadership. Golden, who works for EDUCAUSE out of its D.C. office, earned her Master of Science degree in information science at Pitt in 1983 and graduated cum laude with a bachelor’s degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania in 1980.

“Cynthia Golden is an experienced manager and leader, with a strong background in strategic planning, budgeting, and organizational development. I look forward to working with her as she and members of the CIDDE staff continue to strengthen the instructional development and support services available to faculty of the University,” Maher commented in announcing Golden’s appointment.

Golden’s work at EDUCAUSE, especially with its Learning Initiative, has brought her into close contact with key leaders and practitioners in teaching and learning. She is responsible for the association’s conference and professional development activities and leadership and management programs and institutes, as well as its content and knowledge management initiatives.

Prior to joining EDUCAUSE in 2001, Golden held senior management positions at Duquesne University, where she led the educational technology area and served as executive director of computing and technology services and codirector of the Center for Distance Learning. Her work at Duquesne included leading all aspects of instructional design, distance education, computer labs, media services, and other technology units, and working closely with the provost, deans, and faculty. Prior to her work at Duquesne, she was a manager in the Information Systems group at MIT. Golden’s career began in 1984 at Carnegie Mellon University, where she held the position of associate director of administrative systems.

Golden has written extensively for professional publications and edited and contributed to the EDUCAUSE book Cultivating Careers: Professional Development for Campus IT.