1EdTech Appoints Curtiss Barnes as CEO

Education technology leader Curtiss Barnes has been named CEO of 1EdTech, the non-profit community partnership of education providers, government organizations, and ed tech suppliers working toward an open, trusted, and innovative digital learning ecosystem. He will succeed longtime 1EdTech CEO Dr. Rob Abel, who announced his retirement last year.

With more than 30 years of education industry experience under his belt, Barnes has served in leadership roles at universities, technology startups, and enterprise businesses, including education-focused positions at Argos Education, Pearson, Cengage Learning, and Oracle. He was also a member of 1EdTech's (IMS Global at the time) board of directors from 2007 to 2008 and from 2010 to 2011.

"1EdTech's profound impact on ed tech standards over the last two decades is a direct result of the dynamic community and collaborations it has fostered," said Barnes. "I am excited to build on that legacy. 1EdTech is well positioned to provide leadership that reduces barriers to innovation, informs product-market fit, and improves time-to-market for all the entities in the ecosystem to help scale learning impact."

"Curtiss is a proven leader with a passion for the 1EdTech's mission of powering learner potential," said Melissa Loble, 1EdTech board chair. "We are excited to see the new heights his expertise will take this organization and the impact we will make worldwide."

"My gratitude and thanks go out to our many supporters worldwide who have enabled unparalleled growth and impact from our organization during my tenure as CEO," said Abel, who will stay on through July 15 to ease the leadership transition. "I'm confident I am leaving 1EdTech, the staff and its members, in good hands with Curtiss. He has the knowledge, skills and passion to take the organization where it needs to go next."

About the Author

Rhea Kelly is editor in chief for Campus Technology, THE Journal, and Spaces4Learning. She can be reached at [email protected].

Featured

  • college student sitting at a laptop writing a college essay

    How Can Schools Manage AI in Admissions?

    Many questions remain around the role of artificial intelligence in admissions as schools navigate the balance between innovation and integrity.  

  • a hobbyist in casual clothes holds a hammer and a toolbox, building a DIY structure that symbolizes an AI model

    Ditch the DIY Approach to AI on Campus

    Institutions that do not adopt AI will quickly fall behind. The question is, how can colleges and universities do this systematically, securely, cost-effectively, and efficiently?

  • person signing a bill at a desk with a faint glow around the document. A tablet and laptop are subtly visible in the background, with soft colors and minimal digital elements

    California Governor Signs AI Content Safeguards into Law

    California Governor Gavin Newsom has officially signed off on a series of landmark artificial intelligence bills, signaling the state’s latest efforts to regulate the burgeoning technology, particularly in response to the misuse of sexually explicit deepfakes. The legislation is aimed at mitigating the risks posed by AI-generated content, as concerns grow over the technology's potential to manipulate images, videos, and voices in ways that could cause significant harm.

  • laptop screen showing Coursera course

    Coursera Introduces New Gen AI Skills Training and Credentials

    Learning platform Coursera is expanding its Generative AI Academy training portfolio with an offering for teams, as well as adding new generative AI courses, specializations, and certificates.