The conversation explores the role of AI in education and the challenges and opportunities it presents for educators. The guests discuss their book, ‘The Savvy Ed Tech Leader,’ which offers innovative strategies for EdTech leaders to boost their influence and elevate their careers. They emphasize the importance of soft skills, collaboration, and strategic planning in implementing new technologies. The conversation also touches on redefining the perception of AI and its potential to save teachers time and enhance instruction. The guests provide advice for navigating conferences and finding relevant information. The episode concludes with a discussion on the importance of continuous learning and growth in the field of education.

Sheryl Abshire, Ph.D., is a highly respected educator, author and speaker known for her lifelong dedication to advancing education through technology integration. As the chief technology officer for the award-winning Calcasieu Parish Public Schools in Louisiana for over two decades and a recognized teacher, library/media specialist, school principal and university faculty member for 20+ years, she has demonstrated exceptional leadership in incorporating cutting-edge technology into the district’s curriculum and operations. Her published works and sought-after speaking engagements at national and international conferences have solidified her status as a thought leader in the field.

Frankie Jackson is a nationally recognized chief technology officer (CTO) in K-12, leading education technology initiatives for 30+ years at the state and national levels, working in large districts with 25,000 to 118,000 students. Jackson serves on the Consortium for School Networking’s (CoSN) Policy Committee, Advanced Professional Learning Committee, Cybersecurity Advisory and Driving K-12 Innovation Board. She’s the Cybersecurity Coalition for Education project lead, certifying education leaders as cybersecurity evaluators. She’s also an instructional content designer and subject matter expert for the CoSN Certified Education Technology Leader (CETL) project management course for technology school leaders.

Donna Williamson has served as a Consortium for School Networking (CoSN) board member, executive board member and officer; as the chair and founder of CoSN Alabama Leaders; and co-chair of the CoSN conference. She’s a frequent speaker at national and state conferences, presenting on topics such as innovation, edtech leadership, communication and soft skills in edtech, data analytics and more. In 2019, Williamson shifted her focus to consulting and project facilitation in the education technology field as a consultant and project director for the CoSN Early Career K-12 CTO Academy. She has received many awards, including the ISTE Making It Happen Award, the Alabama Education Technology Association Sally Moore Award, the National Withrow CTO Award for Educators Honorable Mention, EdTech Digest’s Trendsetter Award and Alabama’s 2016 Marbury Technology Innovation Award.