Cherie Givens

Cherie Givens is a Lecturer at the School of Information, San José State University, where she teaches courses such as INFO 200 – Information Communities and INFO 281 – Seminar in Contemporary Issues (Information Privacy). She holds a Ph.D. in Library, Archival and Information Studies from the University of British Columbia and a J.D. from Louisiana State University. As a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP/US), she brings legal and policy expertise to her academic and consulting work.

Her educational background includes:

• Ph.D., Library, Archival and Information Studies, University of British Columbia (2009)
• J.D., Law, Louisiana State University (1998)

Dr. Givens’ research and teaching focus on information governance, privacy, cybersecurity, AI ethics, intellectual freedom, and information policy. Her work bridges legal, ethical, and practical dimensions of information management in libraries and public institutions. She has published extensively on privacy and censorship, including the book Information Privacy Fundamentals for Librarians and Information Professionals, and is currently writing another book on privacy.

Her recent publications reflect a strong trend in information policy, digital privacy, and ethical governance, particularly in library and public-sector contexts. She has contributed book chapters on privacy and cybersecurity, and her scholarly work often analyzes structural and systemic issues in information access and censorship.

She has been recognized with the following honor:

• Top 25 IT Leaders for 2025 — Government Technology

Dr. Givens has extensive professional experience as a privacy consultant and attorney. She served as the first Chief Privacy Officer for the State of North Carolina (2021–2025), where she built and led the statewide privacy program. She has also supported clients in privacy program development, risk assessment, and data/AI governance. Her academic experience includes teaching at the University of Maryland and LSU. Although no formal advising or grant information is available, her leadership in privacy policy and program development demonstrates significant professional impact.

She has held roles such as Assessment and Program Planning Specialist at the U.S. Government Printing Office and has contributed to government publications on digital library futures and community engagement.