FETC 2027 names IT leaders for cybersecurity-focused speaker track

FETC 2027 has announced four featured speakers for its IT Leaders track as school cyberattacks, AI governance questions and data privacy concerns intensify across K-12. The January conference in Orlando will spotlight district technology leaders navigating those risks with less federal support. Why it matters: - K-12 technology leaders are facing more cyber incidents, more AI oversight questions and more pressure to protect student data. - School disruptions now affect classroom time, meals, medical services and other student supports, not just network access. - FETC is positioning its 2027 IT Leaders track as a place for district leaders to compare strategies on urgent operational risks. What happened: - FETC 2027 announced four Featured Speakers for its IT Leaders track on June 18, 2026. - The conference will take place Jan. 26-29 in Orlando, Florida. - Registration is open at more information . - IT Leaders track access is included with All-Access and Session+ passes. The details: - Dr. Stacy Hawthorne, executive director of EdTech Leaders Alliance and board chair of CoSN, is among the featured speakers. - Hawthorne is a 2024 ISTE 20 to Watch honoree and holds doctorate-level and certification credentials in educational technology, CETL and CCRE. - Amanda Lanicek, chief technology officer of Springtown ISD, brings experience as a former classroom teacher and district technology leader. - Lanicek focuses on K-12 data security, cybersecurity best practices and student privacy. - Kris Hagel, chief information officer of Peninsula School District, has two decades of K-12 technology leadership experience. - Hagel is known for work on generative AI in education and for pushing leaders beyond “AI for AI’s sake.” - Dr. Richard Charles, CIO of Denver Public Schools and president and chief scientist of Charles Analytics, has more than 24 years in K-12 technology and a decade in telecom, defense and tech. - Charles’ current work includes penetration testing in large language models and research on the equitable advancement of AI in education. - The IT Leaders speakers will cover cybersecurity, AI governance, infrastructure demands, student data privacy, edtech purchasing decisions and practical guidance for K-12 leaders. - Additional IT and technology leaders will lead concurrent sessions, roundtables and hands-on workshops throughout the track. - FETC says those sessions will focus on questions district boards are already asking and decisions IT leaders make every day. Between the lines: - Jennifer Womble, FETC chair, said 82% of K-12 schools have experienced a cyber incident. - Womble said school cyberattacks can derail instruction and cut families off from key services. - Womble also said district IT leaders are being asked to recover systems with fewer resources and without the federal support that once existed. - The speaker lineup mixes district operators with policy, research and applied-security expertise, signaling a stronger focus on practical defense and governance. What’s next: - FETC will add more IT and technology sessions ahead of the January event. - The conference expects more than 8,000 educators from 1,300-plus districts across all 50 states. - FETC says its IT Leaders track will continue to center the cybersecurity and AI questions district leaders are already confronting. The bottom line: - FETC 2027 is leaning hard into K-12 cybersecurity and AI risk as school systems deal with more threats and fewer outside supports.