CoSN Early Career K-12 CTO Academy Project Director: Donna Williamson, donna.davis.williamson@gmail.com
CoSN staff contact: Jill Brown, MA, Ph.d., Director of Professional Learning, jbrown@cosn.org
The Early Career K-12 CTO Academy for Today's EdTech Leaders is a program to address the needs of education technology leaders who are new (less than 4 full years) to their CTO or Technology Leadership position or aspiring CTOs and EdTech leaders currently working in a technology department. Participants will have the opportunity to develop edtech leadership skills including; managing diverse teams, leading a variety of projects simultaneously, and collaborating with a variety of stakeholders. Academy participants make a positive impact on student-centered and digital learning in their school district and enhance their career trajectory.
Scholarships may be available for EdTech Leaders from underrepresented populations in the education technology community. Please indicate in the application if you are interested.
This program was developed through public and private sector leaders, district CTOs and edtech leaders to address current professional development needs and thought partner support for aspiring and early-career CTO and EdTech leaders.
CoSN’s Early Career K-12 CTO Academy prepares new technology directors with fewer than four full years of experience to:
- Lead the creation of a culture of innovation in their school district
- Build a Professional Learning Network (PLN) of edtech experts and other new CTOs through face-to-face and virtual meetings
- Understand best practices to build diverse teams that include under-represented populations in the edtech industry including African Americans, Latin, and Native Americans, Pacific-Islanders, and females
- Benefit from the experience of veteran tech and curriculum leaders in the areas of supporting student-centered learning, technology budgeting, technical support strategies, infrastructure, effective strategies for communications, and more
- Be part of discussions centered around new strategies for meeting the needs of diverse learners
- Improve the soft skills necessary to work effectively with others in the culture-specific to their school district
CoSN would like to welcome the 2022-2023 Cohort:
| Kevin | Adams | Chief Information Officer | Bibb County School District | Macon | GA |
| Pedro | Agosto | CIO | Baltimore County Public Schools | Towson | MD |
| Emmanuel | Ajanma | Director of Technology | Barre Unified Union School District | Barre | Vermont |
| Alex | Anstine | Assistant Director of Technology | Raytown Quality Schools | Raytown | Missouri |
| Chuck | Broyles | I.T. Operations Administrator | Greeneville City Schools | Greeneville | TN |
| Andrew | Click | Technology Director | Lee County Schools, AL | Opelika | AL |
| Austin | Contreras | Director of Technology Infrastructure | Corsicana ISD | Corsicana | Texas |
| Colleen | Davoren | Network Infrastructure Manager | Community High School District 99 | Downers Grove | IL |
| Anthony | Dotts | Network Systems Administrator | Community High School District 99 | Downers Grove | IL |
| Giumarra | Duhart | Coordinator of Instructional Technology | Metro. Nashville Public Schools | Nashville | TN |
| Andrew | Fekete | Instructional Technology Specialist | Indian Prairie School District #204 | Aurora | Illinois |
| Gregory | Gillette | Director of Technology | Rockingham County Public Schools | Rockingham | VA |
| Hope | Gould | Technology Director | MSAD 58 | PHILLIPS | Maine |
| Jarod | Lambert | Director, Technology - Information Systems | Conroe Independent School District | Conroe | Texas |
| Martin | Medrano | System and Device Engineer | Indian Prairie School District 204 | Aurora | IL |
| Matthew | Melton | Director of Technology | Portage Township Schools | Portage | Indiana |
| Evangelina | Mendoza | Interim Chief Information Technology Officer | San Antonio Independent School District | San Antonio | Texas |
| Brian | Miles | Instructional Technology Coordinator | Middleton Cross Plains Area School District | Middleton | WI |
| Jaclyn | Patanio | Director of Citywide Ed Tech | New York City Dept. of Education | New York City | New York |
| Lars | Porter | Technology Coordinator | Mountain Brook Schools | Mountain Brook | AL |
| Philip | Price | Chief Technology Officer | School District of Oconee County (SC) | Walhalla | South Carolina |
| Allison | Reid | Senior Director, Digital Learning & Libraries | Wake County Public School System | Cary | North Carolina |
| Erin | Rennick White | Instructional Technology Facilitator | Mid-Del Public Schools | Midwest City | OK |
| Oscar | Rodriguez | Chief Technology Officer | Austin ISD | Austin | TX |
| Kathy | Ross | Network Specialist | Hardeman County Schools | Bolivar | TN |
| Chris | Rowbotham | Director of Technology | Siuslaw School District 97 | Florence | Oregon |
| Shanna | Schlitz | Director of Technology | Riverdale School District | Portland | Oregon |
| David | Stovenour | Director | Baltimore County Public Schools | Baltimore | Maryland |
| Jim | Struck | Information Systems Manager | Community High School District 99 | Downers Grove | IL |
| Alicia | Taylor | Director of Data and Technology | LEAD Public Schools | Nashville | Tennessee |
| Matt | Tombs | Director of Innovation and Technology | River Trails School District 26 | Mount Prospect | Illinois |
DEI Scholarship Opportunity
The CTO Academy tries to secure five Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Academy Scholarships every year for CTOs from underrepresented populations in the education technology community. As part of the application process, you may request to be considered for one of these scholarships, if they are available.
"The work of a District Technology Leader can be lonely at times. The Early Career K-12 CTO Academy brings value and partnership to the daily work of a CTO. With a focus on leadership and vision, finance and budgeting, communications, infrastructure, and data privacy and security, this unique learning opportunity provides timely support both in resources and thought partners to those new to technology leadership."
Sturgeon Bay School District
"The CTO Academy is absolutely the most valuable resource I have available to me! The modules are relevant and the learning coincides with what is current in my work life. Despite the variety of skill sets, the academy design supports all new CTO’s, and the course facilitator was very conscious of meeting me at my level, which ensured a quality experience."
Governor Mifflin School District
Eligibility and Timeline
New career K-12 chief technology officers (CTOs) with fewer than 4 full years of experience or aspiring EdTech leaders currently working in a technology department are invited to apply. Applications for the 2023-2024 cohort are open. The program will run from October 2023- June 2024.
