David Rankin

With over 40 years of IT experience, including two decades of executive leadership and 13 years in cybersecurity, David Rankin is a seasoned technologist specializing in IT operations, cybersecurity, digital transformation, and enterprise project management. His career spans government, healthcare, higher education, and private industries, where he has successfully overseen multimillion-dollar IT initiatives that drive efficiency, security, and innovation.

David is currently an Adjunct Professor at UNC Chapel Hill where he teaches a Master's class in Cybersecurity in the School of Information and Library Science. He also taught Computer Networking at UNC for nine years.

As the Assistant Dean for Information Technology and HIPAA Security Officer at the UNC Adams School of Dentistry, David provided strategic leadership for the school’s $75 million academic, clinical, research, and administrative operations. A key member of the Dean’s Leadership Team, he developed and executed an IT strategic plan, aligning technology with institutional goals. He led the implementation of a $3 million Epic electronic health record system, transforming patient care and streamlining clinical workflows. Additionally, he established a Project Management Office, overseeing 80+ IT projects that improved efficiency, enhanced service delivery, and supported institutional innovation.

Beyond IT operations, David developed and led the school’s Information Security program, ensuring governance, risk management, incident response, compliance, and business continuity. He strengthened collaboration between the HIPAA Privacy Officer, Security Officer, and IT Security Analyst, implemented security awareness campaigns, phishing simulations, and vulnerability scanning programs, and developed school-wide security policies to mitigate risks and enhance data protection.

Previously, as Director of Information Technology and Information Security Liaison, David oversaw IT services including help desk support, systems administration, database management, and web development. He led the secure implementation of the Medicor MiPACs dental imaging system, which stores over one million patient images, and spearheaded security initiatives such as laptop encryption, data loss prevention (DLP), and Splunk-based monitoring. He also developed Tableau-based executive dashboards, providing leadership with critical insights into finance, HR, academics, clinical operations, research, and IT performance.

Before UNC, David served as Deputy Executive Director of Information Resource Management at the NC Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS), overseeing IT operations for 28 divisions and 400+ staff statewide. He led a $25 million IT project for a psychiatric hospital, developed a $14 million statewide IT infrastructure replacement plan, and renegotiated vendor contracts, saving millions in operational costs. His leadership was instrumental in modernizing enterprise systems and improving statewide IT governance.

David has also chaired multiple IT governance and advisory committees, shaping technology policies in dental education, healthcare, and government. He holds certifications as a Certified Information Security Manager (CISM), Certified Information Systems Security Professional (CISSP), and Certified Government Chief Information Officer (CGCIO), underscoring his expertise in IT leadership and cybersecurity.

David has a Master's degree in Computer Networking and a Post Graduate Certificate in Information Assurance. His technical background includes Windows, Mac, Linux, Networking, Wireless, Smartphones, Mobile, Cloud, Virtualization and Artificial Intelligence.

Passionate about leveraging technology to enhance efficiency, strengthen security, and drive digital transformation, David brings a results-driven, strategic approach to every challenge—whether implementing enterprise IT solutions, advancing cybersecurity measures, optimizing data analytics, or leading major IT initiatives.

Technologist