CIAT: Center for Information Age Technology
CIAT: Center for Information Age Technology
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CIAT Staff
Mitchell Darer, Executive Director
Ernest Muro, Project Manager and Information
Technology Consultant
Dennis O'Brien, Information Technology
Consultant
Caroline Christensen, Information
Technology Consultant
Mitchell Darer has over 30 years of computer systems experience as consultant, manager, and programmer/analyst, and has worked in government, education, healthcare, insurance, retail, mail-order, fashion, finance, transportation, engineering, and communications. He is familiar with a wide range of hardware and software: micro, mini, and mainframe.
Since joining CIAT in 1988, Darer has assembled and directed a team of senior professionals based at two offices. He has presented seminars on Personal Computer acquisition and use, and has led or participated in several projects for municipal, county, state, and small business clients, including:
- Two reviews of a large student information system for a state education department.
- Identification of computer and staffing needs for a county utility authority.
- Review of data processing organization and standards for a large municipality.
- Analysis of current computer use and future plans for a state-level department.
Prior to joining CIAT, with J. Crew and previously with Butler International and Integrity Insurance, Darer served as Director of Systems Development. His responsibilities included identifying information needs, analyzing alternatives, and implementing solutions. Among the projects he managed were: merchandise forecasting, inventory control, marketing and sales, payroll, billing, and order processing.
Darer spent six years at Flexi-Van, managing systems development projects, distributed data processing, office systems, documentation, training, and quality assurance. For the Truck Rental division, he implemented their first automated systems, handling leasing, billing, preventive maintenance, fixed assets, and inventory control. For the Container division, he developed an international network of minicomputers. He also helped develop a 5-year 'Honeywell to IBM' migration plan, with new hardware and redesign of all information systems.
At both Integrity Insurance and Flexi-Van, he introduced personal computing and established the office automation functions.
Prior to joining Flexi-Van, Darer spent eight years at Western Union as programmer/analyst and systems programmer. Business applications included customer service, order processing, sales and marketing reporting, fixed assets, cost accounting and taxes. As systems programmer, he was responsible for data base management systems, the on-line transaction executive, telecommunications, and technical support for programming and operations.
Darer directs the activities of CIAT consultants working on projects for government, small businesses, and non-profit organizations in New Jersey. He identifies opportunities to make computer and communications technology available, affordable, and effective for these groups. Darer also participates as a consultant in CIAT projects. Projects have included systems analysis and design, seminars and workshops, and technical writing.
Darer holds several degrees: B.S. in Mathematics from Polytechnic Institute of
Brooklyn; M.S. in Management Science & Operations Research from Fairleigh
Dickinson University; and M.B.A. in Management from Fairleigh Dickinson
University.
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Ernest Muro has over 30 years of technology experience as new product developer, project manager, consultant, and has worked in the education, government, and corporate markets. He has a wide range of experiences with information handling, processing and management of communications, hardware, and software.
Since joining CIAT in 1998, Muro has conducted feasibility studies for the New Jersey Department of Health, and numerous municipal government projects. These projects ranged from Master Technology planning for municipalities, to multi-year technology analysis and planning for a major urban school district, to designing Cooperative Shared Services for document imaging and record retention. Some examples are:
Prior to joining CIAT, Muro designed and developed software solutions for education and government. This experience involved working with national and international government ministries, agencies and leading hardware and software vendors such as Sun Microsystems.
Muro owned and managed for 11 years, an international consulting service that represented corporations, such as IBM, Sun and others. This consulting practice worked with national and international governments, the World Bank, and Departments of Education.
Muro worked 10 years for "turnkey" software vendors designing, developing and marketing technical products. These products are inventory, purchasing, and data management solutions.
Muro worked with W.R. Grace and its divisions for 11 years initially charged with cost reduction, efficiency improvement and financial accounting consolidation. This initial project consolidated financial planning and reporting software for corporate management of diverse industry groups. Later designed, developed, and deployed on line procurement systems based on distributed processing, networking and central product file control for million dollar customers – large volume transaction processing.
Muro’s first working experience was with the University of Delaware as a professor and administrator for technology management. During this career experience was involved with national standards development and systems development.
Current Responsibilities
Muro works both individually and directing a team of CIAT consultants to manage projects for state and local governments. He identifies opportunities, analyzes technology approaches, and makes technology recommendations. Muro participates in product and vendor analysis to validate proposed solutions, based on administrative and information requirements, as well as on identified needs and available financial resources.
Education
Muro holds several degrees: B.S. in Education and Library Science from Clarion University, M.S. in Information Science from Villanova University, and A.B.D. in Information Science from Pratt Institute.
Muro participates in national and international professional memberships, and
publishes and speaks on technology issues.
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Dennis O'Brien has over 30 years of business and IT experience in government, business, and non-profit organizations. He directed Emergency Relief, Agricultural Development and Nutrition projects, and ultimately the development of the international IT facilities of Catholic Relief Services. O'Brien pioneered the use of PC's in the Ethiopia Drought Relief in 1983. In 20 years with CRS, his positions included: Program Director, Assistant Regional Director for Programs and Projects, Director of Information Technology, and Senior Consultant.
O'Brien then joined Daymon Associates as Project Coordinator, where his responsibilities included the development and supervision of an EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) network for 150 grocery chains with 1,500 suppliers. He also worked as a contractor to AT&T with responsibility for the maintenance of legacy systems and data conversion for the Check Reconciliation Treasury functions.
Since his joining CIAT in 2000, O'Brien has:
Overall, O'Brien brings experience in Project Evaluation, Development, Design, and Management for EDI, Finance, Accounting, Logistics and Transportation, Grant development and Implementation. He has managed Government infrastructure development, Disaster Relief, Primary Health Care, and Community Development programs in India, Africa and the United States. He has experience in Information Technology design, deployment, and implementation, software development, systems conversion, office automation, telecommunications, Web-based Transaction Processing, Data Warehousing, projects and systems.
Current Responsibilities
O'Brien, as part of the CIAT team, is responsible for a full range of projects including needs assessment, system design, and IT planning for government, businesses and non-profits. He participates in product vendor analysis, and provides extensive expertise in all aspects of information technology, and office automation.
Education
O'Brien holds a B.S. in Psychology from Purdue University, has
undertaken graduate study at the University of Wisconsin in Social Welfare, and
has pursued continuing education in the USAID-Tufts Project Management series,
AMA President's Program, and the IBM Executive Education program.
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Caroline Christensen, recently joined CIAT, bringing over 27 years of business and technology IT experience in numerous types of organizations around the world. She has held both staff and consultant positions, and is well-versed in technical analysis, project management, process engineering and system implementations.
Her career started in 1978 with Johnson & Johnson, where she held several positions including: Group Leader, Customer Service and Group Leader, Micrographics. Her responsibilities included Hospital Supply and Records Management, including microfilm, microfiche and corporate retention schedules.
In 1989, Christensen gained additional experience in industry specializing in EDI (Electronic Data Interchange) for American Standard and other companies. She was on a Worldwide Design team developing a software system to support the initiative to implement Demand Flow Technology. She worked on re-engineering assembly lines and implementing the Demand Flow Technology in the US, Europe and the Caribbean. The Kanban manufacturing module was her area of expertise and she designed and trained large groups, worldwide, in the use of this approach.
As a Global Standards Director with the non-profit Uniform Code Council, her responsibilities included the management of the Information Technical Requirement Group, which reviewed approved EDI “Voluntary Inter-industry Commerce” Standards (VICS) and the Electronic Commerce Global Information Forum, which designed and approved Electronic Commerce standards. Such standards included EAN.UCC XML standards and telecommunication standards such as AS1/AS2.
Christensen, as part of the CIAT team, is responsible for a full range of projects including needs assessment, system design, shared services, research and IT planning for government, businesses and non-profits. She participates in product vendor analysis, and provides extensive expertise in all aspects of information technology, and office automation.
Christensen has a degree in Management and several certifications,
including: Computer Programming (AS400, RPG & COBOL) and Academic
Excellence from The Cittone Institute. She is also certified in: EAN.UCC XML
Standards and has additional certifications from the John Constanza Institute
of Technology, Inc.: Demand Based Management, Demand Flow Technology &
Business Strategy and Advanced Mixed Model Sequencing.
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