Member Spotlight: Jeremy Nishihara

Jeremy Nishihara

Jeremy Nishihara is the Assistant Superintendent of Human Resources and Information Systems for the Sunnyvale School District. In this role, he oversees all aspects of information systems and information technology throughout the District. In addition, he leads the student assignment department and performs numerous Human Resource functions, including negotiations, overseeing hiring, and personnel issues. Prior to this position, he served as the Communications Director and Chief Information Officer for the Cupertino Union School District for 13 years. He has also served for 10 years as an elected member of the Board of Trustees for the Oak Grove School District from 2006 to 2016. He received a B.S. degree in Managerial Economics from U.C. Davis, possesses a CASBO CBO certification, is a CoSN Certified Educational Technology Leader, and is a graduate of the CITE CTO Mentor Program - Cohort 13.

How long have you been in your current role and how did you get there?

"I first joined the Sunnyvale School District in 2017 and I’ve been in the Assistant Superintendent role in Sunnyvale now for four years, assuming the role on July 1, 2020. I was selected for this position when my boss, Dr. Michael Gallagher became the Superintendent and promoted me to leverage my broad set of skills and experience as we entered into the depths of the COVID-19 Pandemic. Over the past four years, I’ve had to draw on every aspect of my experience to keep the human talent and technology systems moving forward. I feel extremely fortunate to be in a place where my unique set of skills is able to be utilized to the fullest in support of our students and families in Sunnyvale."

What's a recent win you've had at work?

"Earlier this month, I launched an Human Centered Artificial Intelligence (A.I.) initiative in Sunnyvale School District. This initiative emphasizes that Sunnyvale is committing to the responsible use of A.I. in the service of students, staff, and the community; deploying A.I. as a tool to empower and not replace staff; and ensuring an equity mindset for our students and families to learn and access A.I. I was able to hold a workshop for members of our Board of Education and Cabinet and will be rolling out more capacity building next year with our management team, employee associations, and parent organizations."

How long have you been a CITE member? What is your favorite memory from a CITE event?

"I've been a CITE member for the past six years. My favorite memory from CITE was volunteering at the registration booth during the 2021 CITE Annual Conference in Sacramento. This event was my first in-person conference since shutdown and it was amazing to see everyone in real life!"

What do you do in your limited free time?

"I've entered a phase in my career where I have the privilege of sharing my work experience. I really enjoy serving as a CITE instructor for the CTO Mentor Program, Technology Management Advancement Program (TMAP), and most recently as a presenter for a Preliminary Administrative Services Credential (PASC) program for a local County Office of Education."

Are there any special shoutouts you'd like to give to someone in your life or the CITE Community who has made a special impact on you?

"I'd like to recognize all of my fellow CTO Mentor Program instructors as I am constantly inspired by their talents and dedication to public education!

One other special shout out to my previous team from Cupertino Union School District for their ongoing support even after we transitioned to the next phase of our careers. We sure had a blast back in the day trying new initiatives, sometimes breaking things, but always stumbling forward! Please note, we've all become CITE CTO Mentors...Here's to the dream team of Amy Liang (Cohort 13), Greg Pitzer (Cohort 10), and Mahmoud Abed (Cohort 17)!"

If someone is intimidated or reluctant to get involved with CITE, what advice would you give them?

"My advice is simple…just join! With CITE, there are engagement opportunities for everyone. You can simply attend the annual conference, or join a regional group to build your local network, or access resources to help you with your day to day job, and when you’re ready, take advantage of opportunities to sharpen your skills through professional growth through the Technology Management Advancement Program (TMAP) and the CTO Mentor Program."