My name is Lisa DeLapo, and I am a vocal advocate of student-centered learning and for women in technology leadership. I am dedicated to learning something new every single day.

I am proud to have earned the 2021 Honored Educator of the Year for Common Sense Media. I also won a CUE Gold Disk in 2016, for the work I have done to promote educational technology in public and private educational environments. I am currently serving as the Vice President and Treasurer for Computer Using Educators (CUE) Board of Directors. I am currently a mentor for the Certified Chief Technology Officer Mentor Program, and a graduate from their 2021 cohort (Cohort 15).  Additionally, I was honored in 2023 by Tech & Learning as the Northern California Innovative Director of Technology

I have been a Google Certified Innovator since 2014, a Microsoft Innovative Educator, and 2013 Krause Center MERIT Fellow. I earned the Outstanding Student Award when I completed the Certified Chief Technology Officer Program (CITE, 2021). I have a Master of Arts in Education, with a concentration in Instructional Leadership, and I also have a graduate certification in network and communications management, a California multi-subject credential, and an administrative services credential.

I first entered education as a first grade teaching assistant at a small private school in 2005. When I began work on my credential, I moved to another private school, where I taught third grade. I looped to fourth grade with my class, and I later became the middle school language arts teacher and eighth grade homeroom teacher. Because technology was integrated into my vision of education, I became the school's Director of Technology, managing the infrastructure, networks, and machines while also teaching K-8 computer skills to teachers and students.

After the 2013 MERIT program, I accepted the Director of Instructional Innovation and STEM Initiatives position at a private all-girls high school in Oakland, California, teaching Computational Thinking, Information Literacy, and Computer Science. It was an incredible experience to inspire young women to choose STEM careers and empower them as vocal, strong global citizens. 

In 2015, I had my first opportunity to join public education by becoming a district technology integration coach. In less than a year, I was promoted to become their Director of Innovation, Design, & Technology. During this time, I also served as a BTSA/Induction mentor for private and charter schools through Newark Unified School District.

In 2017, I worked at Krause Center for Innovation at Foothill College as their Innovator in Residence, creating and leading programs in educational technology and other professional development programs for teaching, including Makerspace training and certification. I also created an all-women's Makerspace Program called "UniDIVersity" which offered a safe place for women of color and women with special needs to earn the Makerspace certification. It was funded fully by the Morgan Family Foundation it's first year. In subsequent years, Cisco funded the program. Additionally, in 2018 and 2019, I created and led the Chief Innovative Officer Program at the Krause Center, where teachers who wanted to become technology administrators earned a certificate and 18-quarter units after the one year program.  I also served as the MERIT Director for cohorts 2017, 2018, and 2019. 

Because I missed impacting and interacting with students directly, I left Foothill College to become the Director of Information and Instructional Technology in June 2019, at a public school district in San Jose. Today, I happily teach classes to teachers and to students, while leading technology and STEAM initiatives and collaborating with the administrative leadership in this incredible position. 

Away from school and work, I am the proud mother of two boys; one attends UCONN for his doctoral studies and the other is obtaining his undergraduate degree at San Jose State University. My wonderfully supportive husband is the Director of Technology at a different public school district in Alameda County.

Contact me:

mrsdelapo@gmail.com

Twitter: @LisaTeachesTech