Sondra L. Barbour helped start IBIT’s Executive-in-Residence program. (Photo courtesy of Sondra L. Barbour)
In her newly appointed role as advisory board chair for the Institute for Business Information and Technology (IBIT) at Temple University’s Fox School of Business, Sondra L. Barbour aims to continue strengthening IBIT’s student development, research and industry partnerships.
“Since starting as a founding board member in 2005, I have focused on raising awareness about the quality of the education students receive and the career paths they can pursue,” she says. “In recent years, we have also prioritized mentoring students and connecting them to industry executives, as well as researching emerging technologies.”
She is proud of the launch of the Digital Innovation Foundry, where industry and the school come together to work on solving difficult real-world problems. Barbour also helped to start IBIT’s Executive-in-Residence program, which connects students, faculty and senior industry leaders.
Throughout her career at Lockheed Martin, Barbour gained extensive technology leadership experience, from information systems design and cybersecurity to supply chain oversight and risk management. Fortune magazine selected her twice as one of the “50 Most Powerful Women in Business.” She is a Temple University Fox alumna with a bachelor’s degree in computer science and accounting.
Barbour brings notable experience to the chair position, with past and current board service at NiSource, 3M Company and AGCO, Perspecta Inc. She intends to build on the legacy of IBIT’s former founding chair Bruce Fadem.
“I’m very excited that Bruce is remaining as a board member,” she says. “He did a great job establishing a formal structure for the board, and we’ll continue operating like a corporate board to make the best recommendations.”
Noting that leadership change is always a good moment for reflection, she plans to engage board members for their insights on IBIT’s future.
“I want to ensure everyone has a voice and they’re heard,” she says. “The members of this board are tremendous, with a huge amount of experience and diverse industry perspectives. We all have something significant to contribute.”