High Point University (HPU) is known for bringing in some big names that students can learn from in a very direct way, and, this week, the school announced the latest name on that list: Google Global Transformation and Operations Executive Teena Piccione.

Piccione joins other big names that have participated in the university’s program, which has allowed students to learn from top leaders in their fields, including Apple Co-founder Steve Wozniak, Netflix Founder Marc Randolph and ABC News’ “Nightline” Anchor Byron Pitts.

The growing list of industry leaders who mentor students as part of High Point University’s Access to Innovators program is, for some students, one of the most appealing aspects of attending the university.

As HPU’s new “Data Expert in Residence,” Piccione will use her experience in the tech, telecom and finance fields to teach students a thing or two about her area of knowledge – and she knows a lot.

Piccione joined Google in 2019 and, three years later, was named the senior director of Google’s Core Project Management Office, which supports the company’s corporate engineering teams.

Before joining Google, she was executive vice president and chief information officer for a North Carolina-based nonprofit research institute the Research Triangle Institute International.

Under the Access to Innovators program, the university regularly hosts nationally and internationally known leaders in various fields who interact with students in hopes that they can discover their own path to personal growth and leadership.

HPU students often get a real positive charge from the program and, in a press release announcing her addition to the list, Piccione said that she’s delighted to be a participant.

“I am excited to join the extraordinary and vibrant community of High Point University,” Piccione stated in a press release announcing her introduction to the program. “I am honored to have the opportunity to work with such a dedicated and forward-thinking life institute. Data is transforming every aspect of our world, and I am passionate about the potential of data to improve lives. I look forward to collaborating with the students to make a lasting impact.”

 In the same Wednesday, Jan. 3 press release, HPU President Nido Qubein also said he was thrilled.

“I’m excited for our students to learn from Teena Piccione about how successful business leaders guide their companies to success, which is a lesson that will prepare our future graduates for what life holds,” he stated. “Ms. Piccione has inspired audiences around the world, and I look forward to the positive impact she’ll have on HPU.”

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