After three high-impact years helping Gilroy Prep cement its status as a high-performing TK-8 campus, I'm stepping into a new challenge: Technology Innovation Lead for the entire Navigator Schools network.
Why the move?
Impact at Scale – Navigator now spans four schools (Gilroy, Hollister, Watsonville, and Hayward) with two more opening in 2026-27—Orange County and Monterey County—and more on the horizon. This role lets me super-charge learning for thousands of scholars (and counting).
AI in Education – Large-language models and adaptive tools can finally shrink admin time, personalize learning, and surface insights we used to guess at. First up: a two-year AI road map, teacher-led pilots, and a network of "AI Champions."
Dream Team – I'll collaborate daily with our Chief Impact Officer, Chief Academic Officer, and a crew of educators who refuse to accept the achievement gap as inevitable. If you know me, you know that's exactly my vibe.
What I'll be doing
AI design sprints (hackathon + lesson study hybrid).
Turning prototypes into full-scale tools that actually make teachers' lives easier.
Securing grants and partnerships so underserved students get first dibs on cutting-edge tech.
Sharing the journey—good, bad, and breakthrough—in white papers, conference talks, and (of course) here on LinkedIn.
How you can help
Ed-tech founders & researchers: Let's talk pilots—especially if your tool solves real K-8 pain points.
School leaders: Curious about AI adoption? I'm happy to trade war stories and resources.
All my PLN friends: If you spot an article, study, or meme 🤖 that screams "Dan, read this!"—tag me!
Huge thanks to every student, colleague, and mentor who's shaped my journey so far. I'm pumped to keep learning, keep experimenting, and keep proving that zip code should never determine destiny.
"Don't just make them laugh, make them think…" —George Carlin
Onward & upward,
— Dan