There’s a pattern I’ve watched repeat itself across leadership teams, and I’ve lived it myself more times than I’d like to admit. The calendar fills. The inbox multiplies. The to-do list becomes a moving target. And somewhere in the middle of all of it, the most important work, the thinking, the perspective, the direction-setting, quietly…
Strong systems do not automatically produce strong public understanding. That’s one of the most counterintuitive leadership lessons I’ve encountered, and one I’ve watched play out in districts across the country. Some of the best-run schools I’ve seen are also some of the least visible. The assumption underneath that invisibility is almost always the same: If…
Each year, EdTech Digest highlights leaders helping shape the future of learning, bringing together voices from schools, research, policy, and the edtech industry. Last week, I was honored to be named one of the Top 100 Influencers in EdTech by EdTech Digest in 2026. It’s one of those recognitions that makes you pause for a…
I didn’t set out to write a book about marketing. I set out to write a book about survival. Long before I sat in cabinet meetings or analyzed enrollment reports, I learned a lesson no teacher prep program ever mentions: when you teach an elective, your job security is directly tied to enrollment. No butts…
New leaders often ask me how to earn influence before they have authority. My answer surprises them: stop waiting for permission to lead. This year, I had the privilege of sitting on a leadership panel for CoSN’s Early Career K12 CTO Academy. While the focus was technology, the conversation kept circling back to a deeper…
For all the books, frameworks, certifications, and workshops we invest in as leaders, there’s one practice that rarely shows up in a syllabus, and yet consistently shapes culture, trust, and our own sense of purpose. Gratitude. Not the performative kind. And not the once-a-year, holiday-cued kind. I mean the kind that grounds you. The kind…
When I first started teaching, I was the one sneaking new tools into the classroom. The early adopter, the “let’s try it and see what happens” teacher who saw technology not as a distraction but as a bridge: a bridge to creativity, collaboration, and the kind of engagement that made learning come alive. Fast-forward to…
Make your leadership seen with powerful strategies to define your brand, grow your network, and amplify your influence with clarity and confidence.
