MS in Information Technology (MSIT) Advisory Council

Jon’s early career saw him building his expertise in software development, across several business domains.

This culminated with the role of Technical Director at a software house, where he delivered a new market-leading ERP for house builders. 

Following this Jon joined Hamptons International, an upscale real estate agency, as the Head of Technology. In this role, he had complete responsibility for IT infrastructure, software development, platform implementation, and other IT services. During his six-year tenure, Hamptons experienced ownership changes from private to VC-backed, and finally to a Dubai-based sovereign property group.

Jon then spent fifteen years at Disney, initially serving as a Business Technology Partner for various Disney businesses in London.

He gained a reputation for turning around projects and teams and defining and delivering strategic initiatives. Later, he moved to Los Angeles under a Talent Mobility program and assumed responsibility for Disney's global finance platforms. He played a leading role in Disney's acquisition of 21st Century Fox, managed the team through the challenges of Covid, and facilitated the launch of Disney+.

Currently, Jon serves as the Global Chief Information Officer (CIO) at Cove Communities, a Real Estate Investment Trust specializing in manufactured home, RV, and holiday parks across the US, Canada, England, and Scotland. His primary focus is to prepare the technology function for rapid growth.

Casey Stoops is the Head of Global IT Operations & Cyber Security at Patagonia.  He is a graduate of the University of Colorado @ Boulder (BA US History 1998) and received his MBA from California Lutheran University in 2011.  He has been working in technology since 2000, with a focus on technology operations, architecture, and enterprise scale technology management, with experience at Fortune 100 firms before joining Patagonia in 2010 to lead IT Operations.

Casey’s areas of responsibility at Patagonia include global platform technology architecture and vendor management, global cloud computing platforms (Azure, AWS, etc.), global network architecture and management, global IT compliance and data privacy, global cyber security and incident response, global retail technology, global IT disaster recovery & business continuity, global user support and global enterprise application support.  

Casey and his various teams regularly donate back to the community and the environment through outreach programs, such as Girls Reimagining Tomorrow (GRiT), partnerships with Homeboy Industries and other community-based organizations that help keep technology out of landfills, as well as direct volunteer work with community environmental organizations in Ventura County and Washoe County (NV).

When not at work, Casey spends time with his family (his wife Marlo, son Jack and daughter Charlotte) and manages his family avocado farms, where he has integrated his passion for technology into the growing operations, implementing sensor systems and automation, to drive efficiency and improve crop performance.  Casey is also an avid fisherman and snow sports enthusiast, which has blended well with his work at Patagonia over the years.