Cerena Parker

Proud mom, multiracial, COO & Co-Founder @ILOGroup. Driven to make a difference in healthcare & education through innovative solutions with a focus on diversity

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

#ILOImpact leading the conversation on #AI leadership in K-12.

Via @govtechnews: Wary of adopting too many AI tools too quickly, some K-12 leaders are moving toward more structured governance models, forcing school systems to rethink how decisions are made, who is involved and how risk is managed.

@juliarafalbaer @CharMeckSupt @AleesiaLJohnson @DEDeptofEd
https://t.co/RZ00FbuXfK

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

Most systems are still asking the wrong question about #AI.

Not: What tool should we adopt?
But: Can we make good decisions about impact as this evolves?

Staff and students are already using AI tools. Vendors are moving quickly. Expectations are rising.

At the same time, leaders are responsible for privacy, safety, instructional quality, operational fit, and public trust.

Today, we are releasing a new report:
Adaptive Governance for AI in K-12: Organizing for a Competency, Not a Tool. It is built for this reality.

https://t.co/NU9wiLktp7

It argues that AI should not be treated like a one-time technology purchase. It should be approached as a leadership and organizational competency that requires clear decision rights, disciplined pilots, human review for consequential uses, and ongoing evaluation as tools and use cases evolve.

✔️Why typical approaches to managing tech don’t work with AI.
✔️How to move past what we call the "Triple Veto” problem
✔️A look at three effective approaches to #AI leadership & governance
✔️A practical framework for learning from and leading through AI as it evolves

The paper explores the importance of greater transparency about what is being tested, what safeguards are in place, and how leaders are assessing impact over time.

For leaders trying to move thoughtfully without standing still, we hope it is useful.

#ILOImpact

CC @juliarafalbaer

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

The conversation about #AI in schools is shifting.

The focus now evolving to how leaders implement, govern, and learn from them in real time.

Today we’re with superintendents and leadership teams from across New York’s Capital Region for the third and final in-person convening of the Capital Region AI Strategy and Leadership Cohort.

Leaders are moving from exploration to real implementation roadmaps for responsible AI use across their systems. This is what AI leadership looks like in practice.

#ILOImpact

cc @juliarafalbaer

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

In 2021, ILO Group was founded on a simple but urgent belief: that when leaders are well-supported, students thrive.

Five years later, our team spans roles, backgrounds, and experience, but we are connected by something that doesn't show up on an org chart.

We asked everyone on our team one question: Why do you do this work?

These are their answers:

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

Expert coaching that understands your unique context, challenges, and opportunities. That's just one of the powerful benefits for AI Strategy & Leadership Network members.

Working together, they're refining their roadmaps and identifying potential new areas of focus for their next implementation sprint. #ILOImpact

@ScottMuri @juliarafalbaer @margaretcrespo

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

“She comes at her work with such a deep appreciation for the power of public schools and what public school teachers did for her.”

Our Dr @JuliaRafalBaer on Dr. Lily Laux as she is confirmed as acting and moves toward confirmation as permanent @NewJerseyDOE Commissioner. Via @ChalkbeatNWK.

https://t.co/p62qeqNjhr

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

Today, #AIStrategy & Leadership Network Cohort 2 officially kicks off with superintendents and their leadership teams from across the country gathering.

Across 2 cohorts, more than 140 leaders from 11 state agencies and 34+ school districts, representing 12.5 million students, are doing the hard work of leading AI with purpose, structure, and responsibility at scale.

This work is about building shared direction, strengthening leadership judgment, and shaping how nearly 1 in 4 public school students will experience what comes next.

Day one begins with vision.
The work starts now.

cc @juliarafalbaer

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

This network is powerful: 140+ system leaders, 11 state agencies, 12.5M students served.

Tomorrow, Cohort 2 of the #AI Strategy & Leadership Network convenes in Orlando to do the hard work of leading AI with vision, structure, and responsibility at scale.

This week marks the start of a year-long journey focused on building shared direction, strengthening leadership judgment, and moving toward purpose-led action.

Cohorts 3 & 4 are now enrolling: https://t.co/BMKe7wfNg2

cc @juliarafalbaer

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

We are proud to congratulate ILO Group Principal Dr. Lily Laux on her nomination to be the next New Jersey Commissioner of Education.

At ILO she brought clarity, rigor, and a deep commitment to translating vision into action, exactly the kind of leadership this moment demands.

New Jersey gains a Commissioner ready to lead with purpose and resolve. We’re honored to have worked alongside Lily and excited to see her serve the state in this critical role.

Congratulations, Dr. Laux. We’re cheering you on as you get to work for New Jersey’s students and communities

[Women Leading Ed @WomenLeadingEd]

Proud to announce #WomenLeadingEd Emerging State Executives Cohort 2.

This is a small, highly selective group of leaders, who navigate️high-stakes decisions & make real impact.

Chosen for influence. Proven by results. Ready to shape what comes next.

Welcome to Cohort 2.

[Cerena Parker @cfig842]

Ten years of building together has taught me this: meaningful work doesn’t happen on ideas alone. It happens through steady execution and through partnership.

Having someone beside you who will be honest, supportive, and clear-eyed when the work gets complicated is what makes leadership last.

Grateful for ten years of learning, building, and doing this work together.

[Julia Rafal-Baer @juliarafalbaer]

Ten years in, the lesson is simple: strategy sets the direction, but the partner beside you decides whether you can carry it when leadership gets heavy.

One leader can push for a season. A true duo can sustain it for a decade.

For me, that partner is Cerena @cfig842.

What a decade of building together has made clear:

1. Your partnership has to grow as fast as the organization.

2. Evolving roles takes courage, release what is familiar and embrace what’s next.

3. The relationship is the infrastructure.

I’m proud of what we’ve built at @WeAreILO. But even more proud of how we’ve built it: with trust under pressure, courage before comfort, and a shared commitment to doing the hardest work the right way.

Here’s to ten years of choosing the work. Together.

Read more here: https://t.co/hrl5FOjp2L

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

Ten years. One partnership.

This month marks a decade of working side by side for our @juliarafalbaer & @cfig842, a partnership built on trust under pressure, courage before comfort, and leadership shaped long before there was a company name.

In “What a Decade of Co-Founding Taught Us About Trust and Leadership,” they reflect on what it takes to build a CEO–COO partnership that lasts, and why, when done right, that relationship becomes the engine behind bold, lasting work.

What their story makes clear is this: real leadership isn’t just about vision or execution alone. It’s about two leaders pushing each other to think sharper, act braver, and stay grounded when the stakes are highest. It’s about evolving roles, honest disagreement, and choosing the work, and each other, again and again.

At ILO Group, the relationship isn’t separate from the work. It is the infrastructure.

Here’s to ten years of doing the work together, Julia and Cerena!

https://t.co/43P7yCoQtL

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

Wishing you a happy and restful #Thanksgiving.

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

Great Chief #AI Officers (CAIOs) don’t just “run the tech.”

They sit at the intersection of strategy, operations, and innovation, translating vision into responsible, measurable results.

But critically, hiring a CAIO alone isn’t the “solution” to the leadership moment that is #AI. Real leadership from the very top is needed to navigate the risks and opportunities head.

Our CEO Dr. @JuliaRafalBaer breaks down what makes a CAIO effective and how CEOs must personally lead in this moment in her latest @Forbes piece. ⬇️

https://t.co/fHup2iGfcF

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

This is the room. This is the room where we chart a safe, responsible future with #AI in our schools.

This is the room you need to be in. The room your students, staff and communities need you to be in.

This is the AI Strategy & Leadership Network, where vision always comes first and strategy is driven by what matters most to state and local communities.

Cohort 2 starts in January. Cohort 3 is now enrolling. Take the step today to be in this room.

https://t.co/WkVvLjjMD3

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

Our Dr. @juliarafalbaer is spending the week in China with @DigitalPromise and global leaders, digging into the big ideas that are transforming education both in China and around the world.

Today the group tested new multimodal AI blackboards, which combine AI agents and student interactions to power new learning possibilities.

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

From our latest edition of the ILO Big 3: We kicked off Cohort 1 of the AI Strategy & Leadership Network, a yearlong program designed for superintendents, state chiefs, and their leadership teams who are ready to lead boldly in this transformative moment.

Bringing together 80+ leaders from 24 state and district education systems, our first cohort is focused on confronting the real-world challenges and opportunities that come with leading AI integration at scale.

We’re taking applications for Cohorts 2 and 3 right now.

https://t.co/WkVvLjjMD3

[Cerena Parker @cfig842]

What an inspiring few days with the AI Strategy & Leadership Network!

Incredible leaders came together to shape system-level AI strategies and build real momentum for K–12 education.

Grateful for this first cohort and excited for what’s next.

Apply for Cohort 2 ↓

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

The final day of the AI Strategy & Leadership Network is underway. System-level AI strategies are taking shape, as participants develop roadmaps to drive real impact in K–12 education.

Want to be part of this momentum? Apply for Cohort 2: https://t.co/WkVvLjjMD3

#AiLOLeadership

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

Day 1 of the AI Strategy & Leadership Network highlighted the power of collaboration and thoughtful dialogue.

Leaders explored vision-driven strategy, emerging AI risks, and stakeholder engagement, laying the foundation for meaningful, system-level innovation.

And we’re just getting started. Another day of exploration to come.

#AiLOLeadership

[ILO Group @WeAreILO]

🚨 The @WeAreILO team is growing! Thrilled to welcome ✨Jennifer Schneider (Sr. Consultant) & ✨Hannah Wheeler (Consultant)—leaders turning bold ideas into results for students. Welcome to #ILOImpact!

@juliarafalbaer @lsmithnepsky @cfig842 @LaraDallman