Staff Q and A: Greenwood Executive Director joins Blackbaud K-12 Executive Advisory Board

Congratulations to Jonathan Tepper, Greenwood’s Executive Director, Information & Learning Technology, who was recently added to Blackbaud's K-12 Executive Advisory Board (EAB) and Nominations Committee. The EAB is a group of school leaders from all over North America who share ideas and guidance on Blackbaud's products and services. Blackbaud is a school management software that helps institutions manage their day-to-day operations – from enrollment to academics and more. 

We caught up with Jonathan to learn more:

The advisory board provides critical insights to ensure its software provides robust services to protect our community and solves digital challenges. It was described to me that the board acts as a litmus test to help keep the company accountable, ensuring their solutions are relevant and innovative for all K-12 schools.

When Blackbaud approached me to see if I’d be interested, they said they were looking for someone with a strong background in educational technology, including a close familiarity and awareness of independent school needs. The combination of my experience and Greenwood's reputation for embracing technology, including a strong edtech track record, helped with my candidacy. I'm very honoured they chose me, and I'm eager to share my experiences and contribute.

 

I want to be a voice for personalized learning and make sure Blackbaud's tools empower students and staff to reach their full potential by promoting self-efficacy to use their tools and resources to achieve this vision. I hope to promote solutions that encourage collaboration, streamline those tedious administrative tasks, and make life easier for staff, so they can focus on what is most important: our students! Ultimately, I want to see technology truly transform the end-user experience, from learning to accessing information, to make education more engaging and accessible for all. 

 

I think it's a win-win! Greenwood gets a seat at the table, ensuring our tech investments are strategic and future-proof. Greenwood will have a direct line to Blackbaud, shaping their products to fit our needs and choosing the evolving technology that will achieve the school's mission. This confirms and reinforces Greenwood's position as a leader in innovation, which makes me really proud!

 

I’m very excited to work with other edtech leaders and provide critical feedback on educational solutions. I believe that when technology is used smartly, it is a game-changer and I want to instill this within our community so it benefits our students and staff. I often follow curiosity to learn and to see what opportunities will unfold; I hope this opportunity is a chance for me to do just that and inspires others to do the same.