Anthony Chiaradonna '96 M.Ed. ’99 – Business Management Major

How One Alum’s Time at Curry Prepared Him to Succeed and Lead as a CIO

Anthony Chiaradonna ’96, M.Ed. ’199, Consigli Construction's Chief Information Officer, says an organization's technology only works as well as its people do. That’s why as a leader, Anthony prioritizes training, educating, and communicating with employees companywide.

"My job is to understand the technology, but also to make sure it's used effectively," he says. "You can buy the best software in the world, but if people don't know how to use it, then it doesn't matter."

When Anthony enrolled at Curry in 1992, he initially hoped to become a professor. He soon discovered a passion for applied computing, however, enrolling in every course that Curry then offered.

"I think I was the only person with an email account and a computer," he says. "Everyone else had word processors. It was an interesting time.”

Anthony went on to earn his Master of Education degree at Curry. While he ultimately decided to pursue a career in the private sector rather than in the classroom, he says his teaching skills and experiences have played a critical role in his professional success.

"Understanding the different ways people absorb information helps me bridge the gap between my team and the employees who struggle with new technology," Anthony says. "I learned to ask myself, ‘What's the best way to talk about this? What's the best way to roll out this system? When someone is trying to use this, where will they trip?'"

Anthony says his time working with PAL students as a residence director helped him understand and appreciate different learning styles.

"It was an incredible education for me to see people who were successful when given the right tools," he says. "And to some degree, we all have learning differences. We all prefer to hear things a certain way or study things a certain way."

As an executive, Anthony says he believes great leaders are great listeners.

"I don't try to be the smartest person in the room," he says. "I try to treat everyone as partners. You want people to follow you because they want to, not because they have to."

He adds that his involvement at Curry - as a hockey player, football player, resident director, tutor, and student government member - taught him the value of teamwork and collaboration, both in and out of the office.

Today, he regularly gives back to his community, coaching his children's sports teams and volunteering with the Upton Men's Club, which hosts senior dinners and various charity events.

"It's nice to be involved, but it's also a little selfish on my part because I'm always trying to get better," he says. "I'm trying to improve how I communicate with all kinds of people, and to better understand where they come from and how they see the world."