Saying farewell to Cybera VP, Barton Satchwill

Cybera’s vice president of technology announces retirement

After over a decade of leading innovations and digital infrastructure development for Alberta’s public sector, Barton Satchwill is today retiring from his position as Vice President, Technology, for Cybera.

“It is with mixed feelings that I announce I am stepping away from Cybera,” says Satchwill. “In my time here, I have seen the company grow from a small team of network operators and project managers, to over 50 people covering a wide scope of digital technologies, all devoted to supporting the learning, research, and economic well-being of Albertans. It has been a thrilling experience to be a part of, and I am proud of what we have been able to accomplish for the province.”

Cybera’s mandate is to continually improve the lives of Albertans through the advancement of technology, digital literacy, and best practices, for education, enterprise, research, and government. During his time at Cybera, Barton spearheaded many of the organization’s cloud computing projects — including the Cloud Enabled Space Weather Project, the Learning Management Cloud, and the Rapid Access Cloud — and played a leading role in building its data science department. 

His greatest impact on Cybera has been the culture of experimentation, exploration, and collaboration he has fostered. 

“The system used by our technical teams today to organize their roles and timelines for tackling projects was led by Barton,” says Barb Carra, President and CEO of Cybera. “Thanks to him, we have been able to ‘punch above our weight’ and successfully take on a wide variety of projects that support research and technology innovation in Alberta’s public and education sectors.

“More than this, Barton has been instrumental in identifying and cultivating young talent. Many Cyberans have gone on to successful careers in data science, AI and machine learning development, cloud computing, and cybersecurity thanks to the skills and confidence they gained under his mentorship. He will be greatly missed by us and by the wider research and education community.”

During Barton’s time at Cybera, the company has undergone several transformations, expanding its services from simply managing Alberta’s Research & Education Network for post-secondary institutions, to providing advanced networking, cloud computing and data science resources to K-12 schools, libraries, municipalities, start-ups, and the general public. Since 2009, Cybera’s membership has grown from 21 institutions to 107, representing over 850,000 Albertans.

Barton is optimistic about Cybera’s future, believing his retirement will support the organization’s evolution. “Cybera now has the opportunity to grow in a new direction,” he says, “and that is a good and healthy thing. I’m excited to follow the company’s progress as it takes on new frontiers and challenges.” 

Barton’s retirement takes effect starting Friday, July 1. He plans to spend his retirement focusing on his hobbies (collecting fungi, developing a moss terrarium, building a clock), as well as engaging in adventurous travel activities.

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