In honor of International Women’s Day, we’re highlighting a handful of the female EdTech leaders who are blazing the way.

Sophie Bailey

In 2016, Sophie Bailey launched The Edtech Podcast with the mission of "improving the dialogue between ‘ed’ and ‘tech’ through storytelling for better innovation and impact." She aired 250 episodes before passing the reins to another host so she could focus her energy on creating WorkTripp, a digital platform that helps work teams plan and measure their gatherings.

Dr. Monica Burns

Monica Burns became an accidental influencer in the EdTech space after presenting an impromptu talk in 2012 on the topic of technology in classrooms. Her presentation was so well-received that she began blogging about EdTech and went on to create the Class Tech Tips website and podcast. In 2021, her book, EdTech Essentials: The Top 10 Technology Strategies for All Learning Environments was published.

Victoria Thompson

Originally a fifth and six grade math and science teacher, Victoria Thompson’s colleagues recognized her talent for using technology in educational settings. She later shifted her career to focus on educational technology and grew a hearty social media presence in the EdTech space. She led the Microsoft Innovative Education Expert (MIEE) program before moving on to CDW, where she works as a K-12 Education Strategist for the Southeast U.S. Thompson has racked up an impressive array of awards for being an innovator; in 2023, CIOLook magazine named her as one of the Top Ten Most Visionary Leaders in Education and ISTE included her in its Top 20 to Watch.

Dr. Akilah Willery

Dr. Akilah Willery has been working in education technology for 20 years. She currently works as an education strategist at CDW and co-hosts the web series EdTech Coffee Talks. She was recently named by EdTech Magazine as one of 30 K-12 IT Influencers to Watch, where she was praised for her social media posts giving voice to the needs of school districts. Willery has also written several articles for EdTech Magazine.

Kristina Ishmael

In her most recent role as the Deputy Director of the U.S. Department of Education’s Office of Educational Technology, Kristina Ishmael worked on timely issues including digital equity and AI in education. A longtime champion for accessibility and equity in education, she recently received an ISTE 2023 Making It Happen Award and was named as a K-12 IT Influencer to Watch by EdTech Magazine.

Diane Doersch

While she started her career as an elementary and middle school teacher, Diane Doersch went on to serve as Director of Technology and later as Chief Technology and Information Officer in a Wisconsin school district. She proceeded to earn her Certified Educational Technology Leader (CETL) certification and is now the Senior Director of Information Technology at Digital Promise, a nonprofit devoted to equitable learning. She’s also a board member of the Consortium of School Networking (CoSN).