Databus Issue: 2006 4 10/17/2006
Meet CETPA's New Executive Director Andrea Bennett
Lisa Kopochinski Databus Editor
PDF
CETPA is proud to introduce Andrea Bennett as its new Executive Director – its first ever! DataBus Editor, Lisa Kopochinski sat down with Andrea recently to find out what makes this busy school and computer industry professional tick.
DataBus: We’re very interested for you to tell us about yourself. Where are you from? Where did you grow up? Where did you attend college? Where do you live now?
AB: I grew up in San Dimas in Southern California and attended Cal Poly Pomona. My husband and I moved to Northern California in 1997 when I got a job at the East Side Union High School District in San Jose. It was difficult to move away but it has been great for us.
DataBus: How long have you been in the computer industry?
AB: When I was at Cal Poly, a friend of mine had an internship as a programmer at Pomona Unified. He was graduating and suggested I apply for the internship. I got the job and have been working in K-12 technology ever since.
DataBus: What attracted you to this industry?
AB: Well, it was the 1980s so my focus was on majoring in something that would allow me to make as much money as possible! Honestly, when I took my first “computer course” at a community college, it was one of the most boring courses I had ever taken. It was all lecture and we didn’t even get to touch the computer until the last day of class. Once I did though, I was hooked. I took the next class and started programming in COBOL.
DataBus: How does it feel to be CETPA’s first Executive Director? What do you want to accomplish?
AB: Exciting! I am very honored to have been chosen by the board. I will help CETPA continue to grow and become even more influential in the K-12 technology community. By focusing on initiatives like the CTO Mentor Project, K-12 legislation, and alliances with other organizations, we will be able to provide our members with more resources, information, events and a network of support that will help on a day to day basis.
DataBus: What is CETPA’s biggest strength?
AB: CETPA’s biggest strength is its membership. CETPA’s “product” is making individuals better at what they do in their professional lives. We cannot accomplish this without the active participation of our members to help us identify the needs of our community so that we can offer information and solutions.
DataBus: What is the greatest challenge that CETPA faces and how will it be overcome?
AB: CETPA has been a volunteer organization for 46 years. While we have never had a problem finding those who want to help out, what we need now is someone who can dedicate themselves full time to the organization so that we can accomplish our goals and manage our initiatives. A while back, CETPA made the decision to provide more to our members than just an annual conference. As Executive Director, I can manage the projects set forth by the board so that they can concentrate on the K-12 community and its needs, participate in other committees to help bring CETPA’s message to other communities and seek out best practices and existing resources for CTOs.
DataBus: What do you like to do in your spare time?
AB: Spare time – I’ve heard of that. Sounds like something I should try some day. Ok, just kidding, I like to garden to get my mind off of the computer, get my hands dirty, and use the other side of my brain for a while.
