EAST GREENSBORO, N.C. (March 4, 2026) – Heidi Norman, a recognized technology and innovation leader with deep experience in public-private partnerships, has been appointed vice chancellor for the Division of Strategic Partnerships and Economic Development for North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, Chancellor James R. Martin II announced today.

Norman most recently served as chief information officer for the City of Pittsburgh. She brings nearly a decade of public sector leadership and a proven track record of fostering high-impact collaborations between government, academia and the private sector.

“We are thrilled to welcome Heidi Norman to our leadership team during this era of record-breaking growth for North Carolina A&T,” said Martin. “Her expertise and unique ability to cultivate regional and national partnerships will be instrumental as we expand our footprint, achieve the Carnegie Classifications’ Research 1 designation and continue our leadership as the nation’s largest public historically Black university.”

In her new role, Norman will oversee the university’s efforts to build and sustain transformative alliances that drive research, economic development and student success. Her appointment follows a distinguished career in Pittsburgh, where she led major infrastructure modernizations — including the city’s NetPGH unified fiber network — and transformed the city’s business engagement through programs like PGHLab, which connects local startups with city departments to test innovative products and services in real-world settings.

“I am honored to join North Carolina A&T at such a pivotal moment,” said Norman. “The university’s commitment to innovation and its role as a premier land-grant research institution offer a powerful platform for strategic partnerships that can solve real-world challenges and create new opportunities, not only for our students and our partners, but also for the broader community.”

Prior to her tenure as chief information officer, Norman held various senior roles within Pittsburgh’s Department of Innovation and Performance. She is recognized for her work in data governance, digital equity, and collaborating with prestigious institutions such as Carnegie Mellon University and the University of Pittsburgh.

Norman continued her career in higher education shortly after moving to Pittsburgh, becoming program director for a large, federally-funded patient safety project at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and then went on to join the Advisory Boards of the Masters in Quantitative Economics program and the Responsible Data Science initiative. She also led the Pittsburgh Digital Equity Coalition, along with fellow chief information officers from Carnegie Mellon, University of Pittsburgh and 20 regional service organizations, to close the gap in digital skills and affordable broadband Internet access throughout Western Pennsylvania.

Norman holds a B.S. in political science and government from Northwestern University, an M.S. in information resources management from Syracuse University, and has completed numerous graduate executive development programs at Carnegie Mellon and Ithaca College. In addition to her work for the City of Pittsburgh, she serves as vice president of the Pitt Futures Board of Directors.

Norman’s arrival coincides with several senior leadership additions at A&T, including new vice chancellors for Research, University Advancement and Business and Finance, as well as a new provost and executive vice chancellor of Academic Affairs, as the university accelerates execution of its ambitious strategic vision.

Source link