Some of you know that I’m headed back to higher education (after a 4-year hiatus to keep a promise to my daughter that she could finish high school here in Ames, Iowa). I will be an Associate Professor of Educational Leadership at the University of Colorado Denver starting in August. We will miss Iowa tremendously but we’re also excited to explore some gorgeous mountains!

I’ve been reflecting on what I’ve done the past 9 years in this state with the very substantial help and partnership of some wonderful colleagues. Here’s a partial list:

• rejuvenated a struggling educational leadership program at Iowa State University, including doubling our program’s enrollment, faculty, and tuition revenue;
• graduated 13 Ph.D. students as their primary advisor;
• brought in over $350,000 in external grants and contracts;
• published 18 peer-reviewed articles, 1 book, 6 book chapters, 32 invited publications, 8 research briefs and white papers, and 63 other publications;
• was a visiting faculty fellow in New Zealand;
• worked with over 130 different Iowa schools, associations, and other organizations;
• immersed several hundred Iowa principals and superintendents in 6 to 12 days of technology leadership development;
• sparked the nation’s largest statewide, grass roots 1:1 computing initiative (220+ districts and counting);
• launched the annual Iowa 1:1 Institute, which rivals in size the other major education conferences in Iowa;
• initiated EdCampIowa, which I believe is still the nation’s largest single-day EdCamp event;
• launched the new technology innovation team for Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency;
• created the trudacot technology integration discussion protocol, which is now spreading across the globe;
• delivered hundreds of keynote, peer-reviewed academic, and other presentations and workshops, including 2 endowed lectures;
• created 3 new Did You Know? (Shift Happens) videos and numerous other digital and online resources;
• supported thousands of Iowa teachers and administrators as they move toward deeper thinking, student agency, authentic work, and technology infusion;
• was a visible and vocal advocate for Iowa students and public schools;
• served in dozens of advisory board, task force, editorial board, and other state and national leadership and service roles;
• named one of three finalists to be the Director of the Iowa Department of Education;
• received the ITEC Technology Leadership Award, the School Administrators of Iowa Friend of the Association Award, the Phi Delta Kappa Emerging Leader Award, the National School Boards Association 20 to Watch Award, the Center for Digital Education Education Innovator Award, the University Council for Educational Administration Hanne Mawhinney Distinguished Service Award, and the ISTE Award for Outstanding Leadership.

That seems like a pretty good run to me… Thanks to everyone who’s been a part of this fun and hopefully-impactful work. Looking forward to my next adventures!