Alan Shark

Alan R. Shark is the Executive Director and CEO of Public Technology Institute (PTI). Created by and for city and county governments, PTI is a national, non-profit organization that focuses on technology issues that impact local government and thought-leaders in the public sector.

Dr. Shark’s career has spanned over 30 years as a highly recognized leader in both the nonprofit management and technology fields, with an emphasis on technology applications for business and government. He is an associate professor of practice at Rutgers University where he teaches a masters level course on technology and public administration, and also serves as the Director for The Center for Technology Leadership.

He is the recipient of the prestigious 2012 National Technology Champion Award from the National Association of State Chief Information Officers. The award is in recognition for his outstanding contributions promoting government performance excellence through sound information technology solutions, policies and practice.

He is the author of 7 Trends That Will Transform Local Government Through Technology and is co-author of the book Web 2.0 Civic Media in Action (2011), and an author and Executive Editor of the book CIO Leadership for Public Safety Communications - Emerging Trends and Practices (2012); CIO Leadership for State Governments: Emerging Trends and Practices (Spring 2011). Dr. Shark also was Executive Editor of the book CIO Leadership for Cities and Counties: Emerging Trends and Practices (2009) as well as Beyond e-Government: Measuring Performance (2010) and Beyond e-Government & e-Democracy: A Global Perspective published in 2007.

His work has been supported by the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation, the U.S. Department of Energy, the United Nations UDESA, OECD and the International Telecommunication Union (ITU).

Dr. Shark has been instrumental in developing one of the first national certification programs for local government CIOs that PTI is offering in partnership with Rutgers University’s School of Public Affairs and Administration (SPAA). This 12-month certification program is designed to help executives develop the necessary skills to be a successful local government CIO, share knowledge and experience with peers and raise their professionalism as technology practitioners.

Before coming to PTI, he was president and CEO of the American Mobile Telecommunications Association. At the Water Environment Federation, he was the associate executive director for marketing and communications, and publisher.

Dr. Shark was elected a Fellow of the National Academy of Public Administration, as well as a Fellow of the American Society of Association Executives and a Fellow of the Radio Club of America. He received a doctorate in public administration from the University of Southern California and the MPA degree from Baruch College in New York.