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Rhonda Syler is an Associate Professor at James Madison University and Chair of the Commission on Information Technology for the City of Alexandria, Virginia. Her work focuses on how emerging technologies intersect with public-sector decision-making, community and organizational trust, and the governance of digital infrastructure.

With a background spanning information systems, analytics, cybersecurity, and digital innovation, Dr. Syler brings a practitioner-informed scholarly perspective to technology adoption and data-intensive systems. Her research and civic engagement examine how technical systems shape organizational behavior, policy choices, and public accountability as AI-enabled services and digital infrastructure become embedded in organizations, communities, and society more broadly.

Dr. Syler bridges academia, industry, and civic sectors through cross-sector partnerships, workforce development initiatives, and advisory work. Most recently, she served as Co-Principal Investigator on a $1 million National Science Foundation grant developing AI career pathways in rural and underserved communities, and she recently concluded her role as Co-Chair of the 2025 International Conference on Information Systems in Nashville.

Prior to academia, Dr. Syler worked in the financial sector and served in public affairs and information management roles, including as an Information Manager for the 1996 Olympic Games and as a Public Affairs Officer with the U.S. Army.