Dianne is a director in the Pitt IT Enterprise Applications team at the University of Pittsburgh.  She has responsibility and oversight for software implementations, upgrades, and system assessments to support the University’s enterprise applications, including Oracle HCM Cloud, Oracle E-Business Suite, and Oracle Planning and Budgeting Cloud.  She most recently served as Technical Project Manager for the implementation of Oracle HCM Cloud and has over 25 years of experience implementing and supporting Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) systems and Cloud Applications. 

Julie Anderson, OATUG Executive Director, interviewed Dianne to hear her thoughts about leading OATUG in 2023. 

Tell me about how you first became involved in OATUG.

I’ve attended many OATUG conferences through the years and delivered several presentations.  I am also the Secretary of the OATUG Analytics SIG.  Through the connections made with this SIG, I was invited to be on the nominating committee for OATUG, where you have the opportunity to interview candidates for the OATUG Board.  The following year, I had the opportunity to run for the Board of Directors and was elected!  Since then, I have held the positions of Secretary, Treasurer, President-Elect, and now President of the Board.  I have also been the Chair of the OATUG Conference for several years. I serve as the Board Liaison for the OATUG Customer Support Council. 

What has OATUG meant to you? 

Through these opportunities, I have made connections with users from many different companies and industries and have been able to share experiences that have allowed me to continue to learn and grow.  I have also worked with Oracle support through the Customer Support Council, where we bring information to Oracle and our user community for awareness.

The connections OATUG facilitates are designed to help you build your network before you need your network!

Can you describe a time when you could solve a problem or otherwise succeed at work because of an OATUG connection or something you learned through OATUG?

Making connections as a volunteer has been very beneficial for me when it comes to finding resources and support for specific initiatives, such as upgrades and specific problems, from both OATUG user members and OATUG associates.

What do you hope to accomplish working with the Board of Directors in your role as President in 2023?

I want to get back to the basics and core purpose of OATUG and tackle new strategies to move OATUG forward.  The Board will participate in a strategic planning session and process to create a roadmap for success and assist in setting priorities for OATUG.

Topics that will be discussed include the exploration of expansion in international waters. We hope to reconnect with SIGS/Geos to streamline the processes for reaffiliation and focus on volunteering. We want to find ways to engage more members more effectively so they can share new ideas to help lead the organization. 

Members interested in volunteering should consider joining the Customer Support Council, Emerging Leaders, and Women in Technology. 

What are the most important themes emerging for Oracle users in 2023? 

The main theme is the importance of being an OATUG member. OATUG empowers Oracle customers to accelerate success for their teams, their organizations, and the people they serve. There are so many benefits of OATUG membership for EBS and ERP users.  Every year we continue to expand our educational offerings to include the most up-to-date information on Oracle on-prem applications, Cloud applications, database, and technology. 

From Oracle itself, as a user, I see it continuing to expand on its Enterprise Command Centers (ECCs) and promoting the transition of E-Business Suite to Oracle Cloud Infrastructure. 

What would you most like to hear about from OATUG members? What’s the best way for members to put their OATUG membership to work for themselves and their organizations?

There are so many things I’d like to hear about from OATUG members to help the Board as they begin strategizing for the future, including:

• How are you making connections?
• How can we help you?
• How are you using your network?
• Are you using all that OATUG has to offer?
• As an OATUG member – what additional benefits would you like as part of your membership; what are your engagement preferences?
• Are there groups or other volunteer opportunities that you would like to see us initiate or bring back?

Ascend 2023 is coming up in June, from the 11th to the 14th, in Orlando, Florida, atCaribe Resort. What will be special about this year’s conference?

I really like this year’s conference theme, Get Away to Get Ahead.  Ascend is such a unique meeting that combines educational content and opportunities to connect with your peers from around the world.  It is the very best opportunity to meet Users, Vendors, and Oracle product team members all in the same space!

What else do you want OATUG members to know about you?

I reside in the Pittsburgh area and enjoy spending time with my family (husband, son and daughter-in-law, daughter, granddaughter and grandson, and dog, Misty), vacationing at the beach, and attending Pittsburgh sporting events.

I’m honored to be your new president and look forward to getting to know as many more of you as possible. I hope 2023 will be a year of record engagement and volunteerism for all our OATUG members!

You can reach me anytime via Linkedin here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianne-denezza-b440a96/.