Healthcare Technology Executive

Travis
Ryals

CIO & Data Privacy Officer · The START Center for Cancer Care

Most healthcare IT problems aren't technical — they're translational. I close the gap between what regulators require, what clinicians need, and what the business can execute.

Travis Ryals — Healthcare Technology Executive
25+ Years IT Leadership
3 Regulated Sectors
30% FDA PMA Acceleration
99.9% Mission-Critical Uptime

Where mission meets infrastructure

I've spent 25 years learning that the distance between a great technology strategy and one that actually works in healthcare comes down to translation. Not technology — translation. Between regulatory frameworks and operational reality. Between clinical need and IT capability. Between board-level risk tolerance and ground-level execution.

As CIO and Data Privacy Officer at The START Center for Cancer Care, I oversee enterprise technology strategy, cybersecurity, clinical systems, and data governance for one of the nation's leading cancer treatment and research organizations. The work is mission-critical in the most literal sense — the systems I build support patients in treatment and researchers advancing precision medicine.

Before START Center, I led IT across FDA-regulated medical device companies — building global infrastructure from the ground up at CeloNova BioSciences across three continents, and accelerating FDA premarket approval by 30% at Seno Medical Instruments through strategic technology integration.

I lead with mission, not just metrics. I'm looking for the next platform where that approach compounds.

The Translational Gap

Healthcare organizations don't fail because of weak technology. They fail because the gap between regulatory requirements, clinical needs, and business execution never gets closed. That gap is where I work.

Compliance as Architecture

HIPAA, GDPR, FDA CFR 21/11, ISO 27001 — I embed regulatory requirements into infrastructure design, not bolt them on afterward. Compliance that doesn't slow you down starts at the architecture layer.

Technology as Patient Safety

In cancer care, IT failure isn't measured in downtime. It's measured in delayed treatments, halted trials, and compromised data. That framing changes every decision I make.

Three domains. One mission.

🔐

Cybersecurity & Compliance

Zero-trust architecture, ISO 27001, HIPAA, GDPR, PCI-DSS, FDA CFR 21/11, CMMC — in environments where compliance failures halt clinical trials and security breaches delay patient care.

Zero-Trust ISO 27001 HIPAA FDA CFR 21/11 CMMC GDPR
☁️

Cloud & Infrastructure

Hybrid cloud and SD-WAN architecture for regulated healthcare environments. Built global IT infrastructure across three continents with 99.9% uptime for mission-critical clinical and ERP platforms.

AWS Azure SD-WAN Hybrid Cloud SAP ERP EHR/EMR
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AI/ML & Precision Medicine

Designed machine learning-driven genetic model systems advancing precision medicine and genomic research in active oncology settings. AI strategy and governance in FDA-regulated clinical environments.

ML Systems Genomics AI Governance Clinical Data Agentic AI

25 years across regulated healthcare

2019 – Present The START Center for Cancer Care
San Antonio, TX

Chief Information Officer / Data Privacy Officer

Enterprise technology strategy, cybersecurity, and data governance for a nationally recognized cancer treatment and clinical research organization.

  • Architected hybrid cloud and SD-WAN infrastructure secured by zero-trust principles across HIPAA, GDPR, and PCI-DSS environments
  • Designed machine learning-driven genetic model systems advancing precision medicine and genomic research
  • Reduced cybersecurity incidents by 35% through ISO 27001-based security program
  • Embedded regulatory compliance directly into cloud architecture and data governance workflows
2016 – 2019 Seno Medical Instruments
San Antonio, TX

Vice President of Information Technology

IT strategy and operations for an FDA-regulated medical device company developing breakthrough breast imaging technology through FDA premarket approval.

  • Accelerated FDA premarket approval pathway by 30% through business system redesign
  • Deployed enterprise zero-trust identity and access management framework
  • Led SAP Business ByDesign implementation across finance, engineering, and manufacturing
  • Enhanced system efficiency by 25% through cloud operations optimization
2013 – 2016 CeloNova BioSciences
San Antonio, TX

Global Director of Information Technology

Built global IT infrastructure from the ground up for a high-growth, FDA-regulated medical device startup across North America, Europe, and the Middle East.

  • Deployed secure global IT infrastructure across three continents — 99.9% uptime for mission-critical platforms
  • Led full SAP Business ByDesign ERP and QMS implementation
  • Reduced IT operating costs by 20% while expanding global capabilities
  • Reduced cybersecurity incidents by 35% through advanced threat detection and access controls
2001 – 2013 Earlier Career
San Antonio · Phoenix · Scottsdale

Senior Director / VP of IT & Operations

Progressive IT leadership across professional services and architecture firms in Texas and Arizona, building the operational and leadership foundation that defined the career to follow.

  • Senior Director of IT — Vickrey & Associates, San Antonio (2011–2013)
  • CIO / COO — Metro Architecture, Phoenix (2008–2011)
  • VP of IT & Operations — Kurt D. Reed Associates, Scottsdale (2001–2008)

Perspectives on healthcare technology

Available for panels, podcasts, and conferences

Twenty-five years at the intersection of healthcare IT, regulatory compliance, and clinical mission gives me a perspective that's hard to find at a table or on a stage — and one that's increasingly relevant as health systems navigate AI adoption, cyber threats, and the pressure to do more with less.

I speak from operational experience, not theory. Every talk is grounded in what it actually takes to build compliant, resilient technology in environments where failure affects patients.

↗ Invite Me to Speak
01

Why Healthcare Is the #1 Ransomware Target

The structural and operational reasons attackers prioritize healthcare — and what CIOs need to present to boards.

02

AI Governance in Clinical Settings

Deploying machine learning in oncology and genomics — what the regulatory framework actually requires.

03

The Translational Gap in Healthcare IT

Why most digital transformation failures aren't technology failures — and how to close the real gap.

04

CIO as Patient Safety Officer

Reframing IT leadership in healthcare for boards, executives, and clinical teams.

If that's where you're building,
I'd like to know you.

I'm selectively exploring CIO, CTO, and VP of IT opportunities in healthcare, life sciences, and regulated industries. Remote and hybrid roles considered. If you're building something where technology is genuinely mission-critical — let's talk.