SDCOE K-12 Project Management Conference 2026

SDCOE K-12 Project Management Conference 2026

Welcome to Fast Times at Project High! Join us online on Friday, June 26 from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. PST for SDCOE’s 5th annual K-12 Project Management Conference. Report to our virtual campus for a full day of practical project management tips and real stories from K-12 teams from California and beyond. Create your own 4-period schedule and get ready for an engaging, interactive day. Check out the conference brochure to map out your sessions...and don’t be late to class!

9:00am PDT

Opening Session (Morning Assembly)

Friday June 26, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

Opening Session launches the day with a project management mini-lesson. Then we’ll explore the latest updates to our SDCOE Project Management Toolkit, including new and updated tools designed to help you plan, communicate, and get things done. With a solid overview of these tools and templates, you’ll be ready to make the most of every session ahead. This is a General Session intended for every attendee that you won’t want to miss.

Speakers

Peyri Herrera

Sr. Director, EPMO, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Peyri Herrera
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Sr. Director, EPMO
# of Years in K-12 Education: 29
Areas of Expertise: Project management, program management, instructional design, data systems, ERP, SIS, training, help desk
Favorite Subject(s) in... Read More →

Reesa Fickett

Sr. Project Manager, ITS, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Reesa Fickett
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Sr. Project Manager, ITS
# of Years in K-12 Education: 24
Areas of Expertise: Project management, network, cybersecurity, educational technology, technical training
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: Bi... Read More →

Andrew Baldwin

Project Manager, ITS, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Andrew Baldwin
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Project Manager, ITS
# of Years in K-12 Education: 21
Areas of Expertise: Managing projects, audio/visual, broadcast engineering, live event management, web systems development
Favorite Subject(s) in Hi... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 9:00am - 9:45am PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

General Session

10:00am PDT

Start Here with Project Management CliffsNotes

Friday June 26, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

Speakers

Peyri Herrera

Sr. Director, EPMO, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Peyri Herrera
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Sr. Director, EPMO
# of Years in K-12 Education: 29
Areas of Expertise: Project management, program management, instructional design, data systems, ERP, SIS, training, help desk
Favorite Subject(s) in... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

A - Core Classes

10:00am PDT

Don’t Be Clueless! Gather Requirements Before You Start Executing

Friday June 26, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

Is your project heading for a major fashion emergency? Join Andrew to learn why skipping requirements gathering is a project management faux pas that even a total makeover can't fix.

Learn proven techniques and best practices to ensure your requirement gathering efforts are precise, effective, and aligned with what stakeholders actually need (not just what they say they want). From understanding the process to applying elicitation strategies that work, you’ll leave with actionable skills and a ready-to-use template to ensure your project stays in style and on track from start to finish.

Speakers

Andrew Baldwin

Project Manager, ITS, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Andrew Baldwin
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Project Manager, ITS
# of Years in K-12 Education: 21
Areas of Expertise: Managing projects, audio/visual, broadcast engineering, live event management, web systems development
Favorite Subject(s) in Hi... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

B - AP / Honors Classes

10:00am PDT

Sharpies Before Spreadsheets: Sketching Projects Before the Charter

Friday June 26, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

Before the project charter is written and the milestones are mapped, great projects start with conversations about why. Project teams often jump straight to solutions and linear plans, but complex problems need space for exploration and storytelling. This session introduces simple visual techniques to sketch ideas, clarify purpose, and align stakeholders before the formal planning begins. Participants will leave with a pencil box of practical visual tools for pre-planning conversations.

Speakers

Gini Mann-Deibert, PhD

Project Specialist, Innovation Division – College & Career Readiness, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Gini Mann-Deibert, PhD
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Project Specialist, Innovation Division – College & Career Readiness
# of Years in K-12 Education: 10
Areas of Expertise: Project management, Career & Technical Education (CTE), instructional... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

C - Electives

10:00am PDT

From Reactive to Proactive: Building Scalable Project Systems in K-12 IT

Friday June 26, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

Stop "firefighting" your school’s technology rollouts. After many years in K-12 IT, I’m sharing battle-tested strategies to better manage a project portfolio, run meetings that ensure team alignment, and finally reach true project closure. Learn to build systems that protect your team’s time and deliver results for your students.

Speakers

Erin Downing

IT Project Manager, Springfield Missouri Public Schools

Name: Erin Downing
Organization: Springfield Public Schools in Springfield, MO
Job Title: IT Project Manager
# of Years in K-12 Education: 28
Areas of Expertise: Project Management, with 15 years in User Support
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: Art
Most Likely to Complete a Project ... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 10:00am - 10:45am PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

D - ASB Shareouts

11:00am PDT

From Freshman to Valedictorian: Advancing Teams and Practitioners with a Project Management Maturity Model

Friday June 26, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

Discover how LCPS’s Organizational and Practitioner Project Management Maturity Models guide teams and individuals from “freshman” beginners to “valedictorian” level performers. This session introduces the four maturity levels and key components including leadership, governance, communication, performance measurement, and risk management, showing how they shape growth across the district. Participants will assess where they and their teams currently stand and identify practical steps to advance their maturity and project success.

Speakers

Karen W. Miller, PMP

IT Project Management Supervisor, Loudoun County Public Schools

Name: Karen W. Miller
Organization: Loudoun County (VA) Public Schools
Job Title: IT Project Management Supervisor
# of Years in K-12 Education: 5
Areas of Expertise: IT Project Management
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: Physics, Biology, Calculus
Most Likely to Complete a Project ... Read More →

Margaret Mainguy

IT Project Manager, Loudoun County Public Schools

Name: Margaret Mainguy-Addy
Organization: Loudoun County Public Schools
Job Title: IT Project Manager
# of Years in K-12 Education: 2
Areas of Expertise: Project Management
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: English & Astronomy
Most Likely to Complete a Project On Time in High School ... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

A - Core Classes

11:00am PDT

The Vibe Curator: The Honors Seminar on Meeting Facilitation

Friday June 26, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

Planning a major project is like organizing the Senior Prom: if the committee isn't vibing, the whole event could be a "flop." In this high-level seminar, we move beyond basic meeting mechanics and into the art of maintaining a healthy project pulse.

Speakers

Reesa Fickett

Sr. Project Manager, ITS, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Reesa Fickett
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Sr. Project Manager, ITS
# of Years in K-12 Education: 24
Areas of Expertise: Project management, network, cybersecurity, educational technology, technical training
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: Bi... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

B - AP / Honors Classes

11:00am PDT

The Human Side of AI in Projects

Friday June 26, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

Don't let AI be the mysterious new kid in class. Learn how to make it your most productive project lab partner. While AI can accelerate planning and execution, the human element remains the heart of successful project delivery.

This session explores how to use AI across the entire project lifecycle while maintaining a focus on the people involved. You will practice the CRIT Framework to master the art of prompting and leave with a clear understanding of how to balance high-tech tools with high-touch leadership.

Speakers

Brad Bookser

Director of Information Technology, Sage Oak Charter Schools

Name: Brad Bookser
Organization: Sage Oak Charter Schools
Job Title: Director of IT
# of Years in K-12 Education: 20+
Areas of Expertise: Leadership, AI, IT System Design, ED Tech
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: AV Class 📺 🤓
Most Likely to Complete a Project On Time in High S... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

C - Electives

11:00am PDT

"You Got It, Dude!": How to Pitch, Partner, and Pilot Project Management in Your District

Friday June 26, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

In this session, we’ll show you how to use cross-district collaboration as your "secret weapon" to introduce formal project management. You’ll learn how to move a district from "We don't do PM" to a culture of clear "Yes" moments by using high-visibility project wins as your proof of concept.

Speakers

James Reed

Coordinator IV - Cybersecurity Architect, San Joaquin County Office of Education

Name: James Reed
Organization: San Joaquin County Office of Education
Job Title: Coordinator IV - Cybersecurity Architect
# of Years in K-12 Education: 11 years +
Areas of Expertise: Leadership & Management, Project Management, Instructional design, Training, and Cybersecurity
Favorit... Read More →

Ramika Lawson

IT Applications Analyst, Merced County Office of Education

Name: Ramika Lawson
Organization: Merced COE
Job Title: IT Applications Analyst
# of Years in K-12 Education: 20+
Areas of Expertise: Networks, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure, Data Systems, Leadership
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: History, and Chemistry
Most Likely to Com... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 11:00am - 11:45am PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

D - ASB Shareouts

12:00pm PDT

Lunch Hour / Game Time

Friday June 26, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

Test your knowledge, connect with others, and have some fun! Join us for interactive games that reinforce key project management concepts from the conference, with chances to win prizes and build your network along the way. Thank you to our sponsors for the prizes!

Speakers

Peyri Herrera

Sr. Director, EPMO, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Peyri Herrera
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Sr. Director, EPMO
# of Years in K-12 Education: 29
Areas of Expertise: Project management, program management, instructional design, data systems, ERP, SIS, training, help desk
Favorite Subject(s) in... Read More →

Reesa Fickett

Sr. Project Manager, ITS, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Reesa Fickett
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Sr. Project Manager, ITS
# of Years in K-12 Education: 24
Areas of Expertise: Project management, network, cybersecurity, educational technology, technical training
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: Bi... Read More →

Andrew Baldwin

Project Manager, ITS, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Andrew Baldwin
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Project Manager, ITS
# of Years in K-12 Education: 21
Areas of Expertise: Managing projects, audio/visual, broadcast engineering, live event management, web systems development
Favorite Subject(s) in Hi... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 12:00pm - 12:45pm PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

General Session

1:00pm PDT

Turn Vision into a Plan with a Work Breakdown Structure

Friday June 26, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

A new project just landed in your lap and the scope is HUGE! How do you get your head around it? Join us in this session to learn how to break scope and deliverables down into small, manageable packages using a work breakdown structure (WBS). You’ll learn how to create a WBS, explore free software that can help, and will practice building one yourself.

Speakers

Andrew Baldwin

Project Manager, ITS, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Andrew Baldwin
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Project Manager, ITS
# of Years in K-12 Education: 21
Areas of Expertise: Managing projects, audio/visual, broadcast engineering, live event management, web systems development
Favorite Subject(s) in Hi... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

A - Core Classes

1:00pm PDT

The Project Burn Book: Ending the Rumor Mill with Portfolio Transparency

Friday June 26, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

In a school without a clear Portfolio, project updates are just hallway gossip. Is the new LMS really launching in October, or is that just a rumor from the Teacher’s Lounge? This session focuses on creating a Centralized Source of Truth. We’ll show you how to move away from "he-said, she-said" status reports and toward a visual dashboard that keeps your Board, Cabinet, and Staff on the same page.

Speakers

Kirby Fell

Sr. Project Manager, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Kirby Fell
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Sr. Project Manager
# of Years in K-12 Education: 25
Areas of Expertise: Education Technology, Digital Media, Data Systems and Reporting, Infrastructure Design, and Project Management
Favorite Subject(s) in... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

B - AP / Honors Classes

1:00pm PDT

The CALPADS School Bus: Using a Project Charter to Get Everyone on Board

Friday June 26, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

Stop treating CALPADS like an isolated IT homework assignment and start managing it as a coordinated district team effort. This session traces one district’s journey from siloed, manual planning to a mature, charter-led data governance model.

You will hear how a refined project charter serves as the vehicle for cross-departmental collaboration and improved data integrity. Leave with a practical roadmap to transition your data processes from a seasonal fire drill into a year-round, managed success story.

Speakers

Hanaa Abusalih

Database Specialist, Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District

Name: Hanaa Abusalih
Organization: Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District
Job Title: Database Specialist
# of Years in K-12 Education: 4
Areas of Expertise: Ed Tech Data Systems
Favorite Subject(s): Visual Arts
Most Likely to Complete a Project On Time in High School: Y
Current P... Read More →

Mauricio Ortega

Chief Technology Officer, Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District

Name: Mauricio Ortega
Organization: Valley Center-Pauma Unified School District
Job Title: Chief Technology Officer
# of Years Education: 26 years
Areas of Expertise: Systems Leadership, Educational Technology, Cybersecurity, Infrastructure, Data Systems, Professional Development
Favo... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

C - Electives

1:00pm PDT

The Ultimate Glow-Up: How Santee School District Went from Hot Mess to Project Mastery

Friday June 26, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

"Ditch the Drama, Keep the Results." Ever feel like your district is stuck in a permanent "Freshman Year" scramble? Join us to see how Santee School District graduated from pure chaos to a high-performance culture. We’re breaking down the PM principles we used to stop the fire drills, measure what actually matters, and deliver "straight-A" value to our students and staff. No hall pass required.

Speakers

Jerry Guzman

Director, Information Technology, Santee School District

Name: Jerry Guzman
Organization: Santee School District
Job Title: Director, Information Technology
# of Years in K-12 Education: 13
Areas of Expertise: IT Leadership & Strategy, Cybersecurity Governance, Project Management
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: Accounting, History, Engl... Read More →

Maryam Jajo

Cybersecurity/Network Analyst, Santee School District

Name: Maryam Jajo
Organization: Santee School District
Job Title: Cybersecurity/Network Analyst
# of Years in K-12 Education: 12
Areas of Expertise: Cybersecurity
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: English Literature
Most Likely to Complete a Project On Time in High School (Y/N or som... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 1:00pm - 1:45pm PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

D - ASB Shareouts

2:00pm PDT

Fire Drill! Preventing Project Fires Roundtable Discussion

Friday June 26, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

Does your project feel like an unannounced fire drill during second period? Projects become reactive when visibility is limited, communication comes late, or key stakeholders are pulled into the hallway halfway through the drill.

In this roundtable discussion, we’ll trade real-world strategies to stabilize projects across planning, execution, and closure. The goal is not more noise, but better communication and clearer alignment before the bells ring. Join us to discuss ways to keep unexpected fire drills from interrupting your next big project.

Speakers

Austin Pimentel

Data & Systems Analyst, Ceres Unified School District

Name: Austin Pimentel
Organization: Ceres Unified School District
Job Title: Data & Systems Analyst
# of Years in K-12 Education: 10 (8 in IT)
Areas of Expertise: Project management, Data Analytics & Visualizations, Application Administration
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: Histor... Read More →

Michael George

Systems Administrator, Castro Valley Unified School District

Name: Michael George
Organization: Castro Valley Unified School District
Job Title: Systems Administrator
# of Years in K-12 Education: 25+
Areas of Expertise: Networking, Ed Tech, Servers, Device Management, etc.
Areas of Development: Leadership, Project Management, Process Manageme... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

A - Core Classes

2:00pm PDT

Project Intake, Workflows, and Multi-Departmental Coordination

Friday June 26, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

This session will cover Folsom Cordova Unified School District’s approach to project intake using a standardized submission form and scope-driven automated routing. This process helps ensure proper governance, leadership awareness, and prevents project work from bypassing review or being handled as routine break/fix support. We’ll talk about the observed struggles that got us here and how we implemented the process at our district.

Speakers

LeeAnn "Chilli" Childers

Sr. Network Engineer, Folsom Cordova Unified School District

Name: LeeAnn "Chilli" Childers
Organization: Folsom Cordova Unified School District (Sacramento County)
Job Title: Sr. Network Engineer
# of Years in K-12 Education: 8
Areas of Expertise: Network, Cybersecurity, SOP development, System improvement, Project management
Favorite Subject(... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

B - AP / Honors Classes

2:00pm PDT

Our PMP Journey: From Frustration to Framework

Friday June 26, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

Consider this your crash course in “Project Management High,” where we ditch the chaos and start running projects like total pros. We’ll break down what it takes to earn your PMP, a globally recognized certification that shows you understand core project management practices and approaches. You’ll see how it gets everyone speaking the same language instead of going totally bogus on group work, and why you don’t need a full PMO to make it all come together. The more you sharpen your skills, the sooner you’re rolling with a rad crew of PMs who already know there’s a better way to get things done.

Speakers

Jennifer Ortiz

Technology Training Facilitator, Sage Oak Charter Schools

Name: Jennifer Ortiz
Organization: Sage Oak Charter Schools
Job Title: Technology Training Facilitator
# of Years in K-12 Education: 10 years
Areas of Expertise: EdTech, K-12 Professional Learning & Growth, K-12 Teaching & Learning
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: Math, Fashion De... Read More →

Johné Johnson

Strategic Project and Governance Partner, West Coast Services

Name: Johné Johnson
Organization: West Coast Services
Job Title: Strategic Project and Governance Partner
# of Years in K-12 Education: 12
Areas of Expertise: Project Management and Systems Governance
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: Wood Shop
Most Likely to Complete a Project On ... Read More →

Jane Johnson

Senior Business Analyst, Moreno Valley City

Name: Jane Johnson
Organization: Moreno Valley City
Job Title: Senior Business Analyst
# of Years in K-12 Education: X
Areas of Expertise: Project Management Software Engineer Analytics
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: World History
Most Likely to Complete a Project On Time in Hig... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

C - Electives

2:00pm PDT

The IT Varsity Playbook: How Madera COE Took Project Management Software from the Sidelines to the Championship

Friday June 26, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

Stop Playing Defense. Start Executing the Game Plan.

Join us as we break down the "Game Film" of how we implemented Monday.com as our central Command Center. We’ll show you how we traded fragmented spreadsheets for a unified Varsity Playbook that keeps the entire team in sync.

Speakers

Nicholas Mihall

Assistant Director, Information System, Madera County Superintendent of Schools

Name: Nicholas Mihall
Organization: Madera County Superintendent of Schools
Job Title: Assistant Director, Information System
# of Years in K-12 Education: 8
Areas of Expertise: Leadership, Data Systems, Network, Servers, Cybersecurity, Application Development
Favorite Subject(s) in H... Read More →

Reesa Fickett

Sr. Project Manager, ITS, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Reesa Fickett
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Sr. Project Manager, ITS
# of Years in K-12 Education: 24
Areas of Expertise: Project management, network, cybersecurity, educational technology, technical training
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: Bi... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 2:00pm - 2:45pm PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

D - ASB Shareouts

3:00pm PDT

Closing Session (Pep Rally)

Friday June 26, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm PDT

Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

What a day! Let's reflect on our conference takeaways and consider our next steps to incorporate project management into the way we work. Stick around, maybe there will be a prize or two! This is a General Session intended for every attendee.

Speakers

Peyri Herrera

Sr. Director, EPMO, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Peyri Herrera
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Sr. Director, EPMO
# of Years in K-12 Education: 29
Areas of Expertise: Project management, program management, instructional design, data systems, ERP, SIS, training, help desk
Favorite Subject(s) in... Read More →

Reesa Fickett

Sr. Project Manager, ITS, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Reesa Fickett
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Sr. Project Manager, ITS
# of Years in K-12 Education: 24
Areas of Expertise: Project management, network, cybersecurity, educational technology, technical training
Favorite Subject(s) in High School: Bi... Read More →

Andrew Baldwin

Project Manager, ITS, San Diego County Office of Education

Name: Andrew Baldwin
Organization: San Diego County Office of Education
Job Title: Project Manager, ITS
# of Years in K-12 Education: 21
Areas of Expertise: Managing projects, audio/visual, broadcast engineering, live event management, web systems development
Favorite Subject(s) in Hi... Read More →

Friday June 26, 2026 3:00pm - 3:30pm PDT
Zoom Meeting (Virtual)

General Session

SDCOE K-12 Project Management Conference 2026

Register to attend