Top 10 Innovative School District Tech Director

Lisa Watkins And Cristin Kennedy

Lisa Watkins

3. Lisa Watkins, Director of School Technology Solutions, Gwinnett County Public Schools

Lisa graduated from Emory University with a BA in English, Education, Psychology then proceeding to the Georgia State University, where she completed her M.Ed. in Hearing Impaired Education. She proceeded to graduate from the Nova Southeastern University with an Ed.S. in Educational Leadership. In her current role she implements technology initiatives that support teaching and learning throughout the school district. Developed and implemented school-wide professional learning to support instructional vision. Lisa has been a part of Gwinnett County Public Schools for the last 5 years as Director of School Technology Solutions, previously the Lead Program Facilitator - Instructional Technology. Her career began as Program Manager at the Georgia Virtual School Lisa coordinated special education, hospital homebound, teacher training, professional learning, and teacher evaluation programs and managed business/IT, world language, advanced placement and elective departments. She was able to develop and maintain public relations, including promotional materials, conference presentations, and the web site. Lisa coordinated grants, presented at regional and national conferences and managed blended learning and alternative education programs. The Department of School Technology provides visionary leadership and systemic improvement by implementing a shared vision for comprehensive integration of technology to promote excellence and support transformation throughout the organization. The department collaborates with other divisions to create, promote, and sustain a dynamic, digital-age learning culture that provides a rigorous, relevant, and engaging education for all students. Oversight of technology integration for all capital projects, including the school technology retrofit, promotes an environment of professional learning and innovation that empowers educators to enhance student learning and other personnel to increase productivity through the infusion of contemporary technologies and digital resources.

4. Cristin Kennedy, Director of Instructional Technology, Cobb County School District

Cristin Kennedy

Cristin graduated from the University of Georgia’s College of Education with a BS in Middle School Education and soon pursued her Masters Degree in Junior High/ Intermediate/Middle School Education and Teaching from the Kennesaw State University. In 2008, Cristin acquired her Masters in Educational Leadership and Administration, from the University of West Georgia. Today, Cristin Kennedy is the Director of the Instructional Technology department for the Cobb County School District (CCSD) located in Marietta, Georgia. The Cobb County School District (CCSD) is the county government agency which operates public schools in Cobb County, Georgia, United States. The school district includes all of Cobb County except for the Marietta City Schools. It is the second-largest school system in Georgia (behind only Gwinnett County Public Schools) and among the largest in the United States.

In her role, she facilitates cross-divisional work to support District priorities, leveraging technology for teaching and learning in digital age classrooms, and preparing students to be future ready. Before being named Director, Cristin held teaching and leadership roles in the Cobb County School District over the last twenty-eight years. Her experience ranged from teaching grades K-10, regular and gifted education and taking on leadership roles as an instructional technology specialist and a learning support specialist in a variety of schools in the district. As director, Cristin leads an exceptional team of Technology Training/Integration Specialists (TTIS) who serve 114+ schools, K-12. The CCSD Instructional Technology (#CobbInTech) team facilitates the integration of technology into each school’s instructional program and provides a variety of professional learning opportunities to support teachers and leaders. The team’s goal is to transform classrooms into ‘digital age classrooms’ and to prepare digital age learners for success in a global, every-changing society.