Nina Vaca’s Post

9 years! It's hard to believe that this month marks nine years for me at Forward Edge. Looking back, I've learned, grown, and been challenged beyond anything I could have imagined. This journey has been incredible. I'll never forget those early months. John Waltz took a chance on me to grow a new part of his business, and the space to run with it. In those early months, I didn't think his prediction of a 20+ person team would ever happen... but he was right! It makes me pause and feel a sense of pride to see what we've become: • A team of 15+ rockstar instructional technology coaches changing the way thousands of kids learn. • State-wide certification programs for coaches reaching Virginia, Michigan, Georgia, and beyond. • Edge•U Badges, sparking joy in #edtech professional learning for over 10,000 educators nationwide. • An incredible partnership with Google for Education, even winning the PD Leadership Award this year! None of this happens without an incredible team. I'm humbled every day by the folks on the C&I team, and feel so lucky to have been a part of Forward Edge's leadership all these years. Thank you to everyone – team, customers, and company leadership – for believing in me. My secret to building this incredible team? Two things, really: 1. Surround yourself with brilliance. Hire people smarter and better than you, and let them shine. 2. Never waver from the mission – better learning for every kid + better support for every educator. That's the fuel. Nine years in, and I still try to live by this motto that a very special colleague sent me when I was first interviewing with Forward Edge: “I always did something I was a little not ready to do. I think that’s how you grow.” -Marissa Mayer Cheers to taking chances, constant growth, and the future! 🥂 #leadership #workanniversary #womenintech #gratitude #k12 #fek12

Catalyst to Catalyst (Summer 2024): Ideas and Insights from InCommon Catalysts | https://buff.ly/3VDKlZc Question: In honor of InCommon’s 20th birthday, what would you say are the most-compelling reasons for a 20-year-old today to consider going into an IAM career? Response: IAM is the best place to prepare for where all of IT is headed. IT can no longer be “those nerds in the corner.” To do IAM right, it’s a translation layer where practitioners need to be just as well versed in the business and strategic needs of the organization as they do in the technology itself. IAM must be positioned as a business transformation partner for the organization. Faculty, staff, students, leadership, guests… you have to know how the business works, how it makes decisions, and how to sit down with someone and help them make decisions that they may not be comfortable with. Continue reading the full blog through the link above. #InCommon #CatalysttoCatalyst #20thAnniversary #IAM #HigherEducation #Education #Research #IT #Tech #Technology

Tech education, redefined! Get READY to launch your career. We're changing tech education and building a place where tech leaders grow. #Ready_Talent #CareerBoost #DataEngineering #ProductManagement

We're excited to announce that the response for the #EDTECHWEEK2023 has been overwhelming with Day 1 and Day 2 at Google already at full capacity! The anticipation and interest in exploring the vast horizon of #EdTech are truly exhilarating. If you still haven't secured your spot, don't worry! There are many other engaging sessions, summits, and content awaiting you. Link in Comments to get your ticket. The clock is ticking - only 2 more days, by 12 pm ET on Sep 27, to submit your RSVPs for the remaining limited-capacity venues:   👉 EDTECH WEEK Day 1: PreK-12 Summit @Relay GSE 👉 EDTECH WEEK Day 2: Adult Learning Summit @Relay GSE 👉 EDTECH WEEK Day 3: Career Seeker Summit @Microsoft 👉 EDTECH WEEK Day 3: District Leader Summit @Microsoft (add-on pass required) 👉 EDTECH WEEK Day 3: Main Stage, Gallery of Innovation Booths, EdTech Week Happy Hour @The Times Center 👉 Learning Labs Across the City from Oct 2 - 5   Don't miss out on the exclusive District Leader Summit - your chance to learn from and connect with the best in K12 Leadership (Additional Pass required) or the Career Seeker Summit - for those looking to hire or be hired in EdTech (available for solo purchase; included in General Admission) We can't wait to see you there! #EDTECHWEEK #EdTechInnovation #Networking #LearningJourney

Julia Hutyra, a bright star from Year 6 at Redoaks Primary School, shares her journey of discovery through the DiversITy-talent Design Thinking Tech Challenge. 🌈 Julia's Story: "𝘌𝘹𝘱𝘭𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘨𝘳𝘢𝘮 𝘩𝘢𝘴 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘭𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘭𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘱𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘰𝘯 𝘢 𝘵𝘦𝘤𝘩 𝘤𝘢𝘳𝘦𝘦𝘳. 𝘞𝘦 𝘥𝘦𝘭𝘷𝘦𝘥 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘰𝘧 𝘥𝘢𝘵𝘢, 𝘶𝘯𝘥𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘪𝘵𝘴 𝘱𝘪𝘷𝘰𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘪𝘯 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘮-𝘴𝘰𝘭𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨. 𝘐𝘵'𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘦𝘯 𝘢𝘯 𝘦𝘹𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘦𝘹𝘱𝘦𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘱𝘢𝘤𝘬𝘦𝘥 𝘸𝘪𝘵𝘩 𝘧𝘶𝘯, 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘴𝘬𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘴, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘱𝘳𝘪𝘤𝘦𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴 𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘰𝘯𝘴." 👁🗨 Dive into Julia's testimonial to witness the impactful journey of the DiversITy-talent Awards Challenge. Takeaways: 1️⃣ Transformative insights: The challenge sparks a new understanding of data's importance in finding effective solutions. 2️⃣ Skillful growth: Participants embark on a journey of acquiring diverse skills, making learning both engaging and enriching. 3️⃣ Thrills of learning: The program isn't just educational; it's a source of joy and fulfillment. Celebrate the achievements and burgeoning knowledge of our young #talents navigating the realm of #technology. Join us in nurturing the future leaders of innovation! Explore more on our website: ➡ https://lnkd.in/ez4V-Ch3 #DiversITytalent #innovation #leadersip #designthinking

🌟 To all Master's students out there: You are more than just students; you are architects of expertise, crafting your path with every challenge you tackle and every project you complete. 🏗️📚 Remember, your journey is about bridging the gap between academic theory and real-world application. Each day, you build upon your knowledge, shaping solutions that will influence industries and impact communities. Stay curious, stay committed, and continue to transform learning into action. Your journey is significant, and your contributions are crucial. Let's build a brighter future together! 💪 #MastersJourney #FutureLeaders #RealWorldImpact

We loved working with Toby and his team mates😊 In fact they blew us away with how they embraced possibility, collaboration, design thinking and the determination to build a winning solution...and...to implement it. What a future we have if we tap into this potential talent seam! ➡️➡️We need to protect and further nurture talent like this, for UK enterprise and entrepreneurship. And beyond! Find out more about how we are supporting young people, untapped talent pools and underrepresented communities. Please take a look at our 3-minute explainer video here: www.diversity-talent.co.uk. Our DiversITy-talent Awards and work-ready training camps are aiming to develop a diverse and incremental talent pipeline, over the next 5 years, of 60,000 passionate, engaged and skilled workers. Across all industries and the start-up space. Both ANNA SOMAIYA and I are asking you to join our talent movement and get involved. Either as a funding partner or as volunteers. Please DM me below to find out more! We need your help! #talentpipeline #communities #cultures #dei #diversityequityinclusion

Day 1 of my week 2 at the women techsters fellowship. the early hours of today almost didn't go well ,after I saw my assessment score I was really devastated I totally lost focus for some minutes 😥 I kept asking myself if am actually where am supposed to be? what went wrong ⁉️ Did I not comprehend the question ❓ A whole lot of thoughts came rumbling I was distracted I can't start this class with failure.i kept saying this to myself After my facilitators explained where we needed to work on ,I totally understood everything I immediately picked out what went wrong which was ( lack of understanding of the subject matter) I remembered one of the guest speaker at the orientation who spoke about failure and impostor syndrome that when you fall you do not remain there. which means I do not need to dwell on the test scores, but be willing to adapt to changes and see where I can do better. I immediately braced up and started paying attention to the class and I was able to gain alot from today's session. The fundamental thing about today's class was 1: understanding what product life cycle is which is the stages of growth and decline a product undergo between being introduced to consumers and being discontinued. 2 : Factors which impact a product life cycle , which Market adoption is one of it and many more. we equally moved down to product life cycle phase which is categorized into 4 ~ Introduction phase ~The growth phase ~Maturity phase ~Decline phase I learnt that a product manager has a role to play in every phase of this product life cycle During the introduction phase a PM goal should be driving towards knowing the users. PM focus on this phase should be adopting and fitting into the Market trends. During the growth phase PM goal should be expansion and staying competitive. PM focus here should be accelerating growth by supporting more users. while in maturity phase PM goal should be retention and sustainability. PM focus should be geared towards customers satisfaction. The decline phase , here a PM goal should be either determining the best outcome to resurrect the product or phase out. The breakout session ignited my spirit when my room delivered I couldn't be more happier because I corrected my mistakes by listening and understanding the question before delving into action which is one of the qualities of a good product manager. so overall I could say that I enjoyed my class for today and am anticipating what tomorrow night unfold. #tech4dev #womentechsters #africanwomanintechnology #wtfc24 #womentechstersfellowship #productmanager #productmanagement #techsis #transtioningproductmanager

The most powerful weapon to change the world. If I were a superhero, this would be my weapon. It's revolutionizing education and empowering the leaders of tomorrow! 📍After over 20 years of teaching, building, and managing schools, I've learned and implemented various innovative programs that have incredible impact on the students and the community. One of our most exciting initiatives is developing programs designed to foster creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills among our students. 📍By engaging these students in hands-on projects, experiential learning opportunities, and collaboration with industry partners, they are gaining real-world skills and preparing for success in the digital age. And this has led to students excelling in our programs and going on to achieve remarkable accomplishments. These young children are proving that with the right support and resources, anything is possible. 📍 But perhaps the most rewarding aspect of our work is the impact we're having on the broader community. I understand that not everyone is able to afford the right education and that's why I give back to society through the Orglearning Foundation and offer scholarships to deserving students in my own schools and then outside. 📍By providing access to quality education and innovative programs, we're not only transforming the lives of students but also creating positive ripple effects that extend far beyond the walls of our schools. As I continue to innovate and evolve, I'm excited to see the lasting impact our programs will have on the future generation of leaders, thinkers, and change-makers. 📍What's in your hand right now? Start with what you have! #education #innovation #communityimpact #futureleaders

🌟 **From Failure to Global Success: My Journey of Growth** 🌟 Back in 8th grade, I was just a nerd who loved joking around and didn’t take life too seriously. 😅 I entered an interschool innovation competition with little experience but big ideas. Although I lacked the skills to pitch effectively, my ideas were strong enough to win the national competition! 🏆 This experience sparked a deep curiosity and passion for thinking outside the box and pursuing extracurricular activities. Fast forward to 9th grade, during the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, I created an automatic doorbell designed to reduce virus transmission. 🚪🔔 The next day, I was viral in my city, and my confidence skyrocketed! 📈 Over the next four years, I worked tirelessly, participating in and winning various competitions at national, international, state, and district levels. 🌍🎖️ But the real prize wasn’t the trophies—it was the **learnings**: - How to network effectively 🤝 - How to pitch ideas confidently 💡 - How to step out of my comfort zone and ask for what I want 💪 Today, I proudly say: Always strive to better yourself, and success will follow. 🚀 #Innovation #GrowthMindset #Leadership #STEM #SuccessJourney #Networking #ConfidenceBoost