Aaron Alonzo's career didn't begin with a plan to become an IT leader.

He started as a substitute teacher, became a PE assistant coach, moved into a computer lab role, and eventually became the unofficial IT guy because, as the youngest person around, everyone assumed he understood technology.

That unexpected beginning became a 17-year career in technology and ultimately led Aaron back to the same school district where he grew up, this time as Executive Director of Technology.

In this episode of Strategic Syncing, Aaron sits down with James Symons to explore what leadership looks like behind the technology.

They talk about why making people feel heard matters, how informal conversations can sometimes be more valuable than formal meetings, and why Aaron considers his morning coffee walk around the IT department one of the most important parts of his day.

Aaron also shares a leadership failure that became one of his team's biggest success stories. After initially struggling to get support for a student device repair program, he realised the problem wasn't necessarily the idea. It was how he was communicating the vision.

That experience eventually helped create a program where students gained practical IT experience while helping the district repair devices and get technology back into classrooms faster.

The conversation also explores one of the biggest challenges facing school technology leaders today: doing more with less.

With declining enrolment, tighter budgets, and the ongoing cost of maintaining 1:1 device programs, Aaron explains why creativity, collaboration, and a clear sense of purpose are becoming increasingly important for IT leaders.