The best way to foster and ensure equality in STEM and beyond is for those who have reached success in less-than-diverse industries to help guide others to follow in their inspiring footsteps. This is the concept behind an IT Pipeline. Dr. Rhonda Talford-Knight, Post and DEI Project Director, chats with Kimberly Roberson, Director of Technology Integration and Support as well as Dr. Lisa Spencer, Manager for the Technology Training and Multimedia Development Team at Prince George’s Community College about succession planning as an important tool in making the world of tech a more inclusive and welcoming place for all.
Rhonda Talford Knight:
Dr. Lisa, you did what some leaders do and some leaders don’t — and that’s succession planning. And in doing so, you were able to actually have a black female follow you into your role.
Dr. Lisa Spencer:
I knew the time was coming. I wasn’t growing in the role and needed something different to really energize myself. However, the T3 team was my baby. I wanted to ensure they were safe and able to continue to grow. I felt unsure I had the energy or vision for that next level. Who did I feel was strong enough to carry the team? Just because you’re a leader does not mean you automatically have a team willing to follow you.
Kimberly Roberson:
Prior to Lisa’s departure, I worked within her department where I led instructional tech initiatives for our district. Previously, I held school leadership and classroom positions teaching third, fourth, and fifth grade.
Rhonda Talford Knight:
We have some purists out there, but I always like to acknowledge that a lot of our leaders in the ed tech space have come directly from the classroom.
Dr. Lisa Spencer:
You’re watching your team, divvying out little tasks to see who can do what. I had a number of movers and shakers, but not everybody could carry the team. I knew Kim had it in her so I started tagging her for leadership roles, so the team was taking directions directly from Kim. I started whispering in Kim’s ear and then I raised my voice to say, “Tag, you’re it!”
Kimberly Roberson:
Initially, it was like, no, no. I was comfortable with her as my leader. Initially, I didn’t want to hear it.
Rhonda Talford Knight:
Research shows that women have to be asked to lead several times. Even when somebody they respect knows they can do it.
Kimberly Roberson:
That’s absolutely true. When she kept asking, I started to think, I believe I could do it. We started having regular conversations from her perspective as an executive leader. She strategically put me in a position where the team saw me as a leader. The transition was very easy because of that. It was a gradual process over time, before I even realized what she was doing.
Rhonda Talford Knight:
Realized it and bought in.
Kimberly Roberson:
Two very different things. The buy-in probably happened within a year of when she decided she was leaving.
Rhonda Talford Knight:
Sometimes we see people exit without succession planning. Lisa, I love the fact that you were reflective. This didn’t happen overnight.
Dr. Lisa Spencer:
The planning started five years before I was really ready. There was a lot on my plate. You get so used to doing it all that you don’t let yourself get tired until you stop to reflect. When considering my replacement, several had leadership skills. However, having skills to lead projects does not mean you can lead people. This role required that you can do both and then some.
Kimberly Roberson:
She started offloading small things early on. My job title didn’t change. It was just her seeing me as a leader. I was just excited she trusted me. I’m naturally inquisitive and like to figure out how to make things work, so it gave me a new vantage point.
Rhonda Talford Knight:
When people get extra work it could be growth projects. Sometimes people look for the outcome immediately— a job title, more money— not recognizing that it can lead to the stairsteps. “Gosh, I’m getting three more assignments to do— I should get a job title and more money.” I love that it wasn’t a thought for you.
Kimberly Roberson:
Lisa never had to question my commitment. The intangible was her entrusting the work to me. That was nice to feel as we moved into this new space.
Dr. Lisa Spencer:
Leadership can be lonely. Certain things you’ve got to keep close to the belt. Such as the (pre-COVID) digital integration. We wanted to get our schools ready for one-to-one. Kim had the vision and the ability, as well as the connections with the schools, to lead that project.
Kimberly Roberson:
We are a large district with more than 200 schools. We were working with a subset of 60 schools. The teachers in those schools were ready when the pandemic happened. We were also able to scale what we had done at those 60 schools and say, “Okay, this is what we’re going to do across the board.” Fast forward, the landscape has changed post-pandemic. I have 30 years in education, but I’m only 18 months into this new position. I’m not leaving, but Lisa has given me a roadmap. I’m constantly looking across the team to figure out who else exists with leadership skills?
Rhonda Talford Knight:
It comes down to growing talent. Growing your team so you’re not the only one that’s leading and for succession planning. How do you feel about growing talent only to have them walk out the front door?
Kimberly Roberson:
I welcome and celebrate people’s success in whatever direction it takes them. It’s important for me to build up my children. I bring that same ideal, that same mindset to work. Whether they choose to stay or choose a different path, I am very proud of whatever success they make.
When you grow and build into people, it makes them happier. If I build into their talent and they choose to leave after 12 months, for that 12 months, I’ve had a really strong person in a leadership role who has designed projects and who has led people who will then also grow into leaders, and so it continues. It continues to build the pipeline.
Read more about CoSN’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) resources here.
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Lisa A.Spencer, Ed.D., CETL
Manager, Technology Training & Multimedia Development, Prince George’s Community College (Washington, D.C.)
https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-spencer-ed-d-cetl-48726421/
Lisa Spencer is an accomplished educator and administrator with a wealth of experience in instructional technology, teacher leadership, and professional development. Dr. Spencer is an active member of several professional organizations, including the Consortium of School Network (CoSN), where she currently serves as one of their Board Members, the International Society of Technology in Education (ISTE), Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), and the American Society for Training and Development (ASTD). She is also a State Educational Technology Directors Association (SETDA) member. Overall, Dr. Spencer’s career has been characterized by her dedication to improving education through technology and her commitment to professional development and leadership. Her expertise in instructional technology and her extensive experience in a variety of technical and educational roles make her a valuable asset to any organization.
Kimberly S. Roberson
Director, Technology Integration and Support, Pierce George’s County Public Schools (MD)
https://kimberlysroberson.com/history
Kimberly Roberson is a skilled educator and technology leader with over two decades of experience in both public and for-profit education sectors, she has developed and led a diverse array of educational programs from prekindergarten through grade 12 to adult learning across rural, urban, and suburban settings. Her career features progressive roles as a school-based and district leader, where she has effectively connected and supported various tiers of executive, central-office, and school-based leadership and staff. She is accomplished in crafting and implementing technology-based instructional, systemic, and technical programs tailored for adult learners ranging from novices to experts.
This interview has been made possible in part by a grant from Chan Zuckerberg initiative DAF, an advised fund of Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
CoSN is vendor neutral and does not endorse products or services. Any mention of a specific solution is for contextual purposes.
