In making the announcement, John E. Bucher, chair of the board and chief technology officer at Oberlin College, said, "Diana Oblinger brings an impressive breadth and depth of experience to this critical leadership position-”as an innovative leader and dedicated professional at several institutions; as a longtime active contributor to key higher education organizations, including EDUCAUSE; and as a forceful voice for change and advancement in the profession. Diana will bring vision and energy to moving EDUCAUSE into its second decade of realizing the mission of advancing higher education by promoting the intelligent use of information technology".

Oblinger has served as an EDUCAUSE vice president since 2004 and leads the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative. Prior to joining EDUCAUSE, she held positions in academia and business. Oblinger is currently an adjunct professor of adult and higher education at North Carolina State University. Her corporate experience has included senior positions at IBM and Microsoft. Internationally known for her expertise in information technology and higher education, she has authored or edited numerous books and articles and is a popular keynote speaker.

In accepting the appointment, Oblinger said, "I am honored to be asked to serve the information technology profession and higher education in this new capacity. There are opportunities for EDUCAUSE leadership in policy, professional development, cyber-infrastructure, learning technologies, and much more. IT is critical to all of higher education, so we have a broad and growing agenda. As the association moves into its second decade, I look forward to working with our members, staff, and friends to ensure that EDUCAUSE meets our community's needs and is the first and most trusted source for IT in higher education".

Speaking of the qualities that the EDUCAUSE Board of Directors looked for, David L. Smallen, search committee chair and vice president for information technology at Hamilton College, explained that "The EDUCAUSE president must be a thought leader and spokesperson on information technology issues in the higher education community who works in collaboration with the executive team, the staff, and the board to create, maintain, and monitor a comprehensive set of programs, services, and policy directions for the benefit of EDUCAUSE members and for the broader higher education community. We found that Diana Oblinger fills that bill many times over".

EDUCAUSE has grown to more than 2,200 member institutions and organizations and provides an array of programs and services for members. Special initiatives such as the EDUCAUSE Learning Initiative focus on leading-edge teaching, learning, and technology practices. The EDUCAUSE/Internet2 Security Task Force is a focal point for information and resources on computer and network security.