We Are IT | Meet Andrea Dial
Andrea Dial was born in California and moved to Tallahassee as a teenager, where she lived for over 25 years before relocating to Jacksonville six years ago. She attended Tallahassee Community College and Florida State University (FSU), where she earned her bachelor’s and master's in library and information studies and is now pursuing a Doctor of Education in learning design and performance technology. Her passion for helping people led her to a career in technology, where she has worked at FSU since 2003, currently serving as a Senior IT Project Manager. Outside of work, Andrea enjoys traveling, baking, DIY projects, and spending quality time with her family, especially her two children.
Where are you from?
I was born in California and moved to Tallahassee as a teenager where I lived for over 25 years, before moving to Jacksonville six years ago. I’ll always consider Tallahassee my hometown.
Where did you attend school?
I went to Lincoln High School, right here in Tallahassee. After high school, I went to TCC and FSU, where I majored in information studies and sociology. Then, I earned my master's in library and information studies from FSU’s College of Information. And now I’m in school for my doctorate degree. I’m in the College of Education, and Health and Human Sciences, within their Instructional Systems and Learning Technologies program, earning my Doctor of Education (Ed.D) in learning design and performance technology.
Why did you choose to work in technology?
I chose to work in technology because I knew it would open opportunities that I might not have had otherwise, potentially even in other areas. I realized that having a solid education and a strong work ethic would be essential to achieving my goals. While technology wasn't my primary focus, my passion for helping people drew me to this field. The program I chose emphasized being the bridge between users and technology, which really appealed to me. That's why I pursued it, and I've continued working in technology ever since.
I furthered my passion for connecting people and technology by co-creating and co-leading the ITS Women in Technology group. We created this community to support and advance women working in or pursuing technology careers, through networking and mentorship opportunities.
How long have you been at FSU?
I started working at FSU in 2003.
What is your role at FSU?
Having been at FSU for over 20 years, I have held multiple positions within our organizations. I have worked in various IT support roles, ITS manager roles, and then about three years ago I shifted into the project management office as an IT project manager. Now, I am a senior IT project manager.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
One of my favorite parts of my job is leading and facilitating the work that helps our organization achieve its goals and successfully implement new technologies and solutions. I also enjoy collaborating with my colleagues and helping facilitate the necessary teamwork to move our projects forward. The opportunity to work closely with others and contribute to our collective success is truly fulfilling for me.
What is the most rewarding project you have worked on at FSU?
One of the most challenging but rewarding projects I’ve worked on is the Microsoft 365 migration. In 2011, As the manager of the Microsoft enterprise applications and services team I led the email migration project to Microsoft 365 for students, faculty and staff. This is where the students received the @my.fsu.edu email addresses while faculty and staff had @fsu.edu email addresses. Then, it was a full circle moment in 2022 when I was the lead project manager for the newest Microsoft project where all emails were centralized to @fsu.edu.
A project I’m most excited about is the university’s IT centralization initiative. I am currently leading the project to transition IT units across the university and align critical technology resources and support to ITS. It is rewarding to be a part of this transformation and support ITS in advancing its technology resources and partnerships at FSU.
What is your favorite app?
My favorite work-related apps are Microsoft Teams and OneNote. But my favorite app overall would be Messages.
If you were to invent one piece of technology, what would it be?
I’d agree with a few of my fellow ITS employees when they said a teleportation device. It’d help me be where I want to be on time.
What is a fun fact about you?
A fun fact about me is that I’m a huge FSU fan—I even have an FSU spear tattoo with the word "unconquered." Going to school at FSU has been a significant part of my life, and I take a lot of pride in being a Seminole. The opportunities FSU has given me, both professionally and personally, have been incredible, and I’m proud to carry that connection with me.
Talk a little bit about your family.
I have two children. My son, Gunnar, is a sophomore at the University of Alabama and my daughter, Alana, is a freshman in high school. My son and I enjoy playing games like Rock Band and Wordle, and conquering escape rooms together...he is the reason we escape...every time. While my daughter and I love baking and shopping.
What do you do in your free time?
I love traveling, baking and working on DIY and home improvement projects. One of my favorite places I've traveled to is Italy—I absolutely loved the food, the culture, the architecture, and the rich history, and I hope to visit again. And of course, spending time with my family and friends is extremely important to me.
