In the highly competitive higher education environment, the ability to use big data to drive decision-making has become increasingly important. WVU has taken a major step toward improving and enhancing its data operations by hiring its first-ever chief officer of data and analytics.
Lisa Castellino has been named the University’s inaugural associate vice president of institutional data and analytics and will join the Office of the Provost, effective Aug. 31. Castellino’s primary role will be to develop and lead a comprehensive data gathering and analytics unit at the University needed to advance the institution in such areas as recruitment, retention, research, budgeting and program evaluation.
Coordinating with WVU data providers and consumers, Castellino will serve as a visionary leader across the WVU system. She will be responsible for transforming the Office of Institutional Research into the Office of Institutional Data and Analytics, ensuring implementation of contemporary academic data analytics and maintaining high-quality institutional data management and reporting.
While reporting directly to Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Maryanne Reed, Castellino’s position is being funded by and will work in tandem with the Office of the Provost, the Office of Strategic Initiatives and the Research Office
“We are absolutely thrilled about Lisa Castellino’s decision to join the Mountaineer family,” Reed said. “Not only does she bring a wealth of expertise to our more focused effort on data analytics, but she also is a respected leader, collaborator and strategic thinker. All of this coupled with her energy and enthusiasm to move WVU forward is the perfect fit at a time when using big data has become essential to both day-to-day decision-making and long-term strategic planning.”
Castellino’s experience in the field of institutional research spans over 20 years. She has served in institutional leadership positions across three states and has extensive expertise in institutional quantitative and qualitative research studies; survey research design and analysis; outcomes assessment; data management and warehousing; data visualization; data animation; business intelligence; predictive analytics; and change management.
Castellino earned her Ph.D. at Indiana University of Pennsylvania, specializing in administration and leadership studies with a focus on leadership paradigms and organizational psychology. She studied factors that both positively and negatively influence undergraduate community college transfer student retention upon transfer to a four-year institution.
As a native Pennsylvanian, Castellino is looking forward to returning “home.”
“Coming to WVU and being able to live in Morgantown feels like coming home,” she said. “I am humbled and honored by the opportunity to be a part of WVU's innovative and transformative community and will work tirelessly towards fulfilling its mission.”
She comes to WVU most recently from Humboldt State University, one of 23 campuses within the California State University system. At Humboldt, Castellino transformed the Office of Institutional Research to the Office of Institutional Effectiveness. Her efforts resulted in one of five commendations given to Humboldt State University during their last reaffirmation of accreditation by the WASC Senior College and University Commission, citing HSU as a “data-driven institution” that has built “a robust institutional research capacity consistent with its purposes and characteristics.” The report also noted the commitment to data dissemination both internally and externally and its incorporation into in planning and decision-making.
Castellino also served on several CSU-system wide committees and co-chaired the Data Driven Decision-Making Workgroup whose recommendations have guided the CSU’s data and information sharing activities to support its Graduation Initiative 2025. She was an active member of the California Association of Institutional Research and served as a mentor to many professionals in the Association.
Prior to her role at Humboldt State, Castellino served as the University of North Carolina, Wilmington’s assistant provost for institutional research and assessment for 10 and held positions at the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education and Indiana University of Pennsylvania.
Mark Gavin, associate provost for academic budget, facilities and strategic initiatives, and Sheena Murphy, associate vice president for research development, led the national search and co-chaired the committee that selected three candidates from a pool of applicants for interviews that were conducted virtually this spring due to COVID-19.