About

Is Anyone Running Technology Governance?

Most independent schools reach a point where IT support is humming along -- vendors are in place, devices are working, tickets are being resolved.

But underneath that surface, something else is happening.

Technology environments grow faster than governance. Multiple vendors manage different pieces of the puzzle. AI tools are being adopted by staff and students faster than any policy can keep up. Cybersecurity expectations rise. And when something fails -- the question that follows is not technical.

It is: who was accountable for this?

Most boards are not lacking effort. They are lacking clear visibility -- and AI has made that visibility gap significantly harder to ignore.

Kenneth Thomas

Over 15 years, I have directed enterprise technology operations across media networks, government agencies, telecommunications organizations, and educational institutions. I have managed technology budgets exceeding $2M and led complex, regulated environments serving hundreds of users.

I did not come to independent school governance through a textbook. I came through work -- real organizations, real decisions, real accountability.

The clearest example: at a major enterprise media organization, I inherited a fragmented technology environment and left it transformed. Cost savings and operational efficiencies the leadership team still relies on today. A company-wide policy infrastructure built from scratch. An enterprise-wide migration to Microsoft Teams -- phones, collaboration, and all. A former colleague described it this way:

"Kenneth led several mission-critical projects that resulted in significant cost savings and immense organizational efficiencies. A team would be lucky to walk into an environment that he set up."

-- Tim R. (Former IT Colleague), New England Sports Network

I now bring that same rigor to independent schools -- not as a replacement for your IT vendor, but as a board-level advisor who translates technical complexity into governance clarity.

That includes the technology your board already knows about -- and the technology it does not. AI adoption inside schools is accelerating. Most leadership teams have no structured visibility into what tools are in use, what data those tools touch, or what the liability exposure looks like. That is a governance problem. And it is one I help schools get in front of before it becomes a board-level crisis.

I chose education because the stakes are different here. Technology decisions in schools directly affect students, educators, and communities. Governance clarity is not just a business issue -- it is a stewardship responsibility.

What Is It Like to Work Together?

Reliability, Not Reactivity

Each quarter, you receive structured reporting on technology risk, vendor performance, AI governance status, and progress against your roadmap. Your board makes decisions from a position of clarity -- not in response to a crisis.

Oversight Without Disruption

I work alongside your existing IT team. I do not replace relationships -- I strengthen accountability. Every vendor continues their role. I ensure leadership has clear visibility into what those vendors are delivering, what AI tools are entering the environment, and where the gaps exist.

Board-Level Language

Technical risk translated into fiduciary language. Clear frameworks for decision-making. Governance structures that protect your school's mission and give board members the confidence to answer hard questions -- including the ones about AI -- without hesitation.