Award: Technology Administrator of the Year Name: Kelly May-Vollmar Title: Chief Innovation and Information Officer District: Desert Sands Unified School District Region: 19 ACSA Highlights: Member since 2009; ACSA Technology Academy Trainer; Region 19 2016 Elementary Principal of the Year; Region 19 Vice President of Membership; DACSA Charter Past President; Region 19 Women’s Leadership Planning Committee. Breaking down barriers, creating opportunities and ensuring that technology is not an afterthought, but integral to every lesson plan and staff training. This is what Kelly May-Vollmar strives to accomplish. As Chief Innovation and Information Officer for Desert Sands USD, May-Vollmar has led the district in sweeping new investments in technology, coming up with ingenious solutions, building bridges with educational services, and implementing many innovations like Chrome Wars for staff development, Large Format Displays, districtwide Chromebooks and tablets, and the first full elementary school coding program. Through a public-private partnership, May-Vollmar developed a solution to ensure that all 29,000 students in the district have access to affordable broadband at home, helping to close the digital and achievement gaps. “Dr. May-Vollmar’s passion for technology extends to the broader community, and particularly extends to our families that may not have access to technology,” said James Novak, Chief Business Officer of Palo Alto Union SD, formerly of Desert Sands USD. “Kelly completely believes that technology access is critical for all students to be able to be successful in the 21st century.”  What’s your favorite book on leadership?  Currently, because I have so many, my favorite book is “Culture Code” by Daniel Coyle. I am a firm believer that you have to get culture right. I currently took on a new role and my entire leadership team is reading this book. Change makes people ask, “am I safe,” and as Coyle says, “Safety is the foundation on which strong culture is built.” I also believe in emotional intelligence and I think that “Emotional Intelligence 2.0” by Bradberry and Greaves is a must-read for all leaders. What’s your favorite quote about leadership?  “Education is the most powerful weapon we can use to change the world.” — Nelson Mandela. What’s the best advice you’ve ever been given?  The best advice I was ever given was to slow down. I wish I could say I have only been given that advice once. I not only tend to talk fast and need to slow down, I think fast and I have learned that when leading people I have to take the time to help them get in my head space. I have to help them to understand my thought process and the reasons for the decisions I am making. When I take the time to slow down two things happen: First, it is easier for others to get behind my ideas, but even more importantly, it affords me the time to listen and work collaboratively. What are some of your favorite apps?  I really like Layout and Ripl for posting to social media like Twitter. Layout allows me to create a collage and Ripl allows me to blur the photo so students can’t be identified in the post. What’s your best strategy for work/life balance?  I try to consistently take time for myself to recharge. When I was a first-year principal, our Superintendent Dr. Sharon McGehee would ask us monthly what we were doing to take care of ourselves. This helped me to create a habit of taking time for myself. I find time to read, get a massage, go fly fishing with my husband, or just spend time with friends and family. What are the top five life hacks that you would recommend for a new administrator?  1. Get a strong Personal Learning Network. You need people around you that are better and more experienced than you. They will inspire you and help you when needed.  2. Give yourself grace. It takes a solid year, at least, to really learn a new job and develop new skills. Don’t be too hard on yourself.  3. Don’t take yourself so seriously. This will allow you to not take things too personally and not be easily offended.  4. Take time for yourself so you can recharge.  5. Lead from your values. If you don’t know your five core values, establish them. You will be pulled in so many directions as a leader. You will need an identified set of values to keep you grounded and leading from a place that you can be proud of. What made you want to become a school administrator?  Every step that I have taken has been driven by my desire to help people. As a teacher, I wanted to help my fellow teachers, so I became an academic coach. From there I wanted to be an even greater support to teachers and students, so I became a principal. From there I wanted to better support all the schools in our district, so I became the Chief Innovation and Information Officer. It has always been about helping others for me. What’s the biggest challenge you’ve overcome to get where you are?  The summer before my first year of being an administrator, my first husband passed away from pancreatic cancer. It was an incredibly difficult time, but I was surrounded by great colleagues and friends that supported me. Although it was difficult, I learned so much from the struggle that helps me to have perspective on life to this day. What are you most proud of accomplishing?  I am very proud of having completed my doctoral journey several years ago. It was a very difficult task and one that I am very proud to have achieved.  Who is someone who inspires you?  I am inspired by all the women in my family, but in particular my mother and my mother-in-law (Jean Tatman and Marcia Trombold). They have both had to be strong and determined women during their lives and they inspire me. Additionally, my sister, Kimi Fish, is so talented, compassionate and smart — she inspires me.  What’s your pre-game ritual to get ready for a big meeting or presentation?  Prepare and focus on the “why.” I spend several days preparing for a meeting or a presentation. I can come up with way too many ideas and going back to the “why” behind the meeting or presentation keeps me focused and allows me to deliver a better product. What was the best ACSA event you’ve attended?  Leadership Summit. What bucket list item do you hope to accomplish this year?  I want to take a trip to Alaska. The theme of the 2019 Leadership Summit is “Lead Well: Equity and Excellence.” What projects are you working on which have equity as their focus? 

We have worked hard on equity and excellence in Desert Sands. We have 1:1 devices and students can take them to and from school. Additionally, we worked with partners to build and LTE Network to ensure that all our students have access to WiFi at home. The next step for us is to ensure that all teachers have adequate training so that the ability to use technology is available in all classrooms. If teachers are not trained, then students only have the ability to use technology in some classrooms and that creates a new kind of digital divide.