Aisha Jackson
Chief Information and Digital Strategy Executive
Dr. Aisha Jackson serves as the first Chief Information and Digital Strategy Executive (CIDSE) at UC Davis. In this role, she provides strategic guidance, coordination and oversight of information technology across UC Davis and UC Davis Health. Aisha is charged with developing an integrated IT strategic plan, implementing a digital risk governance framework, aligning campus and health system IT governance structures and establishing cross-campus partnerships that advance the UC mission.
Recognized for her exceptional ability to stabilize and strengthen organizations through periods of transition, Aisha provides steady leadership and clear direction amid a rapidly changing technology landscape, challenging financial environments and shifting federal and state priorities. Her approach to IT governance emphasizes transparency, accountability and alignment of technology investments with the institutional mission.
Dr. Jackson brings more than 20 years of higher education technology leadership experience to her role at UC Davis. She most recently served as Vice Chancellor for Information Technology and Chief Information Officer at UC Santa Cruz, where she led the Information Technology Services (ITS) division with a focus on delivering exceptional, modern, accessible and secure services. Under her leadership, ITS evolved into a mission-focused division through robust governance frameworks and a commitment to continuous service improvement.
Prior to UC Santa Cruz, Aisha served at the University of Colorado Boulder, where she was appointed as the university’s first Assistant Vice Provost and Assistant Vice Chancellor for Academic Technology and Student Success. In this pioneering role, she bridged academic and administrative domains, providing operational oversight for academic technology, student portals, student-success analytics and web management systems. Her career at CU Boulder spanned twelve years in progressively responsible leadership positions.
An Afro-Latina born in Panamá, Dr. Jackson brings a personal commitment to equity and inclusion to her professional work, actively mentoring early-career IT professionals and championing inclusive practices throughout the organizations she leads. She is particularly drawn to the University of California’s mission of advancing equitable access and opportunity.
Aisha holds a doctorate in education from the University of Colorado Denver; a master’s in curriculum and instruction from the University of Florida, Gainesville; and a Bachelor of Arts in elementary education from Flagler College. She began her IT career at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago, where she later served as a faculty member in the School of Education and Open Campus.
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