Dr. Tom Hoover
Chief Information Officer
email: thoover@latech.edu
Chief Information Officer
email: thoover@latech.edu
Thomas Hoover is the Vice President for IT for the University of Louisiana System and Chief Information Officer at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana. He is responsible for creating and implementing the technology vision across the UL System and Louisiana Tech University. He has also served as Chief Information Officer and Dean of the Library at the University of Louisiana at Monroe (ULM) and as Associate Vice-Chancellor and Chief Information Officer at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga (UTC). Thomas has worked in Information Technology in higher education since 1999. Before his appointment at ULM and UTC, he was the Director of Instructional Technology Support at Pepperdine University in Malibu, California. He has his doctorate in educational leadership from Louisiana Tech University. Thomas was born in southern California and had a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and History from the University of California at Davis and a Master's in Public Policy from Pepperdine University's School of Public Policy. He is married and has six children. He enjoys golfing and traveling.
Director of Center of Instructional Technology
Whitney Sivils-Sawyer, Ed.D., serves as the Director of the Center for Instructional Technology at Louisiana Tech University, where she leads initiatives that support effective technology integration, faculty development, and innovative teaching and learning practices. Dr. Sivils-Sawyer’s professional background includes over 18 years of experience in higher education, teacher preparation, accreditation support, and instructional design. Before her time at Louisiana Tech University, she served as the Teacher Certification Advisor at ULM. She has also served in numerous leadership and advisory roles, reflecting a career dedicated to advancing higher education, supporting educators, and improving learning experiences for diverse populations. She earned a BA in Psychology (ULM), MEd in Educational Technology Leadership, and an EdD in Higher Education Administration. Whitney lives in Monroe with her husband, children, and many animals. She's passionate about volunteering for charitable causes that have a positive impact on our community.
Director of Client Services
Natalie K. Osborne is the Director of Client Services at Louisiana Tech University, where she leads teams dedicated to providing exceptional technology support and customer service to students, faculty, and staff. With more than a decade of experience in information technology and client services, she is committed to fostering a positive and supportive campus experience. In recognition of her dedication and leadership, Natalie received the 2025 University Senate Outstanding Service Award (Unclassified).
Before joining Louisiana Tech, Natalie worked for the United States Air Force in human resources and program coordination roles and held technology support positions with state and legal organizations. She earned a Bachelor of Science in Information Systems and Decision Sciences from Louisiana State University.
As the parent of a current Louisiana Tech student and another son attending Ruston High School, Natalie has a personal connection to the university and is proud to be part of the Bulldog family. She is married to a retired Air Force member, and together they have enjoyed traveling and living throughout the United States and around the world while raising their two sons.
Client Services
Director of Enterprise Systems
Jerry Robertson is the Director of Enterprise Systems at Louisiana Tech University in Ruston, Louisiana. His responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the adoption, utilization and enhancements to the Workday ERP system at Louisiana Tech University. He has over 35 years of experience in Information Technology, leading IT Teams of Fortune 100 companies across many different industries. Jerry is a graduate of Louisiana Tech with a B.S. in Computer Information Systems. He is married and has two children and three grandchildren. He enjoys spending time with family and traveling in his spare time.
