Experienced public and private-sector education leader and executive joins global education nonprofit

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Sept 22, 2015 – The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®) today announced the appointment of Jim Flanagan as chief learning services officer. Flanagan brings more than 25 years of diverse public- and private-sector work experience, primarily in K-12 public education, to his new role as the division leader responsible for the ISTE Standards, professional services and the association’s thought leadership teams, including research and evaluation.

“Through his experience in school district leadership roles, with some of today’s most innovative ed tech companies, as well as in strategic corporate consulting, Jim brings a deep understanding of the opportunities and challenges of today’s education environment to ISTE,” said Brian Lewis, ISTE CEO.

Flanagan’s extensive credentials span the education and corporate business communities. Most recently, he led Flanagan Education Services, a consulting firm that assisted schools and education companies in identifying and implementing best practices to enhance teaching, personalize learning and improve management practices. Previously, he held roles as the chief information officer and director of research, assessment and evaluation for the St. Louis Public Schools, and served on the Chicago Board of Education.

Flanagan’s experience also includes leadership roles with a number of education companies that provide a wide array of solutions to schools, including software, devices, virtual courses, Internet connectivity, professional learning and consulting services. In addition, he has worked with groups like The Partnership for 21st Century Skills to advocate for improvements in education, and currently serves as the treasurer for TEC Connections Academy Commonwealth Virtual School board of directors.

“As a long-time ISTE member, it is exciting to join the organization at this pivotal time in its evolution,” said Flanagan. “I look forward to collaborating with my colleagues, ISTE members around the globe, and the broader education community as we continue to explore the power of digital environments to transform learning.”

Prior to his work in education, Flanagan helped large corporations improve strategy and performance as a management consultant in two global professional services firms. He holds a bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Michigan and a master’s of business administration in finance and marketing from the Kellogg Graduate School of Management at Northwestern University.

About ISTE                                                                              
The International Society for Technology in Education (ISTE®) is the premier nonprofit membership organization serving educators and education leaders committed to empowering connected learners in a connected world. ISTE serves more than 100,000 education stakeholders throughout the world.

Innovative offerings include the ISTE Conference & Expo– the world’s most comprehensive ed tech event – as well as the widely adopted ISTE Standards for learning, teaching and leading in the digital age. The organization’s robust suite of professional learning resources features online courses, consulting services for schools and districts, books, and peer-reviewed journals and publications. For more information, visit iste.org. Connect with ISTE via Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn. 

For more information, media only:
Jodie Pozo-Olano, Chief Communications Officer, 804-986-6911, jpozoolano@iste.org
Lisa Wolfe, L. Wolfe Communications, 773-278-2800, lwolfe@lwolfe.com