Lauren Owens

Chief Technology Officer

General Responsibilities

• Provides strategic leadership for all district technology systems, services, infrastructure, cybersecurity, data systems, and technology personnel.

• Leads the development and implementation of a district-wide vision for the effective, secure, and innovative use of technology in support of teaching, learning, operations, and communications.

Administrative Responsibilities

• Works closely with district leadership, faculty, staff, students, and community stakeholders to align technology initiatives with the district's strategic priorities.

• Leads long-range technology planning, budgeting, resource allocation, and evaluation of technology investments to ensure operational effectiveness and responsible stewardship of district resources.

• Directs the recruitment, supervision, professional growth, and evaluation of technology department personnel.

• Oversees cybersecurity, data privacy, disaster recovery, business continuity planning, and risk management related to district technology systems and information resources.

• Guides the development, implementation, and support of enterprise systems, network infrastructure, cloud services, instructional technology platforms, and emerging technologies.

• Provides leadership for innovation initiatives and the responsible integration of artificial intelligence in support of teaching, learning, and district operations.

• Leads district efforts related to data governance, analytics, reporting systems, and the effective use of information to support decision-making.

• Facilitates cross-functional collaboration among academic, operational, and technology teams to improve processes, communication, and organizational effectiveness.

• Develops and maintains relationships with educational organizations, government agencies, vendors, and community partners to advance district technology goals.

• Supports grant opportunities, alternative funding sources, and strategic partnerships that expand innovation and maximize district resources.

Academic Preparation

• Ed.D. in Educational Leadership (In Progress), Trident University International

• M.Ed. Educational Leadership, Arizona State University, Tempe, AZ

• B.A. Spanish Education, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, IL

Professional Licensure

• Illinois General Administrative Endorsement
• Illinois Principal Endorsement
• Illinois Spanish Endorsement
• Illinois Bilingual Education Endorsement
• Illinois English as a Second Language (ESL) Endorsement

Professional Activities

• Consortium of School Networking (CoSN)

• Certified Education Technology Leader (CETL)