Western Governors University Names David Morales Chief Information Officer
Former Walmart Executive to Lead Education Technology and IT Organization
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – Western Governors University (WGU) today announced that David Morales has joined as Chief Information Officer and Senior Vice President of Technology. In this role, Morales will lead IT across divisions, and play a key role in shaping WGU’s education technology agenda; including product management, design, development, cloud services, operations, and technical support.
“I am excited to join WGU as I see the institution as a digital enabler. Since its inception, WGU has pushed the boundaries of technology in order to fulfill their mission,” said Morales.
“I want to be part of that journey and help WGU innovate in new ways to deliver an exceptional student experience. It’s about helping change people’s lives as they work to achieve their educational goals.”
Morales brings more than 15 years of experience leading innovative global IT teams, including more than eight years at Walmart, where he most recently served as Senior Director of Engineering for the Information Systems Division. In this role, Morales oversaw cloud systems for store operations and global infrastructure. His experience includes leading portfolio roadmap planning, designing products and applications architecture aligned to improving the customer experience, and leading a diverse, global team of more than 300 employees. Prior to joining Walmart, Morales served in leadership roles with Anamarc College and Altep in El Paso, Texas, with early development experience at Knowlysis, and NASA.
“David brings with him a stellar track record for innovation and customer obsession, having led large-scale development and IT organizations at Walmart for more than eight years,” said WGU president Scott Pulsipher. “David’s experience running large-scale development and operations will be an asset to WGU as we continue to build out our infrastructure and scale during this period of exponential growth.”
About WGU
Established in 1997 by 19 U.S. governors with a mission to expand access to high-quality, affordable higher education, online, nonprofit WGU has more than 109,000 enrolled students and 124,000 graduates in all 50 states. Driving innovation as the nation's leading competency-based university, WGU has been recognized by the White House, state leaders, employers, and students as a model that works in postsecondary education. In just 20 years, the university has become a leading force in changing lives through education. WGU is accredited by the Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities, has been featured on NPR, NBC Nightly News, CNN, and in The New York Times. Learn more at www.wgu.edu.
