Empowering the Future Through Education Technology
A K-12 Education Strategist at CDW, an education technology consultant, a keynote speaker, and an award-winning educator, Victoria Thompson is a force to be reckoned with given her outstanding capabilities as an educator who is transforming the lives of people around the world. She is the recipient of numerous awards being named as Top 10 Most Visionary Leaders in Education by CIO Look Magazine in 2023, ISTE Top 20 to Watch in 2023 and Top 30 K-12 IT influencers by EdTech Magazine in 2021.
Victoria started her journey teaching fifth and sixth-grade math and science in Summerville, SC. Afterwards, she completed her master’s degree in curriculum and instruction after which she moved to Seattle, WA, in 2018. Her inclination towards education and transforming it from a brick-and-mortar setting to an interconnected and interlinked global system was evident from the start. She focused on digital transformation, STEM integration in schools, technology in instruction, and using technology to bridge equity gaps in education.
She got into this business by happenstance when she moved to Seattle in the middle of a school year and found it challenging to get a teaching job, but alos recognized the potential of being in a new city and starting a new career. She delved into the bustling tech scene in the city, and with her experience in supporting many programs, platforms, and devices as a teacher, she landed a job in a technology company as their technology strategist for an education contract project. Since then, her career has been moving forward with technology as the propelling fuel.
Even though she does not have an extensive business background by trade, she has made the world her oyster as she has been exclusively in business for the last six years. She reiterates, “I firmly believe that when people come from many different avenues, experiences, and backgrounds, we only strengthen the business. I bring a unique perspective given that I was in education and educational leadership and am now on the technology business side of the world.”
Being an ambitious person who always strives for more, she believes that this inherent quality of hers has gotten her far in her career. Education isn’t a business but a metrics-driven, data-driven, and results-driven system, which has added to her experience and helped her grow as a person. She says, “The future of innovation drives me, especially in education. The energy and insight that come from seeing something new in the field drive me and what I do at work. Being a part of that from the technology perspective has been very exciting.”
Victoria gives an insight into her strengths, which she feels are community building and public speaking. In the realm of technology, she has worked with many people across the United States to develop foundational relationships with key technology stakeholders to enable quality solution delivery and support for schools and districts. Being an educational thought leader and independent educational technology consultant she has presented at conferences such as ISTE, FETC, TCEA, IDEAcon, ImpactEducation, CUE, and DigCitSummit on such issues as using technology to create inclusive math classrooms, the intersectionality of literacy and STEM, equity in instructional coaching, culturally responsive STEM education, and equity in educational technology. Regarding her weakness, she says, “I do get nervous sometimes before showcasing a project or product that I’ve been working on–I tend to overthink things because I always want to present as my best self! When I tell people this, they are usually quite surprised because they say I appear very relaxed and natural onstage.”
Striking a balance between her personal and professional life, Victoria feels that if she doesn’t feel fulfilled in her personal life, then she cannot thrive in her professional one. The dynamic nature of the educational technology sector makes her work very exciting. Due to this, she lives each day to the fullest and sees the world through rose-tinted glasses, where meeting people is a learning opportunity that forms lasting connections.
She shares her mission with our readers and states, “My mission is to lead in education with courage, integrity, and innovation. These are the things that, to me, make the world turn every single day. Courage allows us to take that first step to discover something new, integrity shows up in our professional and personal lives as our authentic selves, and innovation helps us look toward the future in a positive light.”