Dan Durkin
Managing Director of Technology
YES Prep Public Schools Inc.
Dan Durkin is the Managing Director of Technology at YES Prep Public Schools in Houston, Texas. He leads a team of motivated and capable technology professionals, empowering the mission of teaching and learning excellence.
He oversees all aspects of technology services including digital experience, cybersecurity, infrastructure, client services, project and vendor management, student information systems, and software development.
Learn more about the Houston CIO community here.
Give us a brief overview of the path that led to your current role.
I gained experience in diverse industries and developed a wider lens of trends of commonality and best practices around transforming workplace cultures and operations.
What is one of your guiding leadership principles?
My guiding principles are to be open and transparent, invest in people and process empowerment for long-term orientation and build partnerships across disciplines, culture, and industries.
What is the greatest challenge your particular C-level role is facing today, and how are you addressing it?
The greatest challenge is the diminished availability of talent to meet requirements and the increasing difficulty to retain highly skilled individuals. This causes organizations to need aggressive personal development to bring current talent to the level of skills aging out.
What is the key to success for someone just starting out as a CIO?
The key to success is to build partnerships and relationships that extend beyond current topics or difficulties.
How do you measure success as a leader?
I measure success by how well the business runs without direct contact. Empowering peers and subordinates to execute a strategy that they have invested in in important.
What is the value of being a member of the Evanta community?
There is value in networking and building strong relationships necessary to elevate yourself and community.
Evanta Governing Body members share their insights and leadership perspectives to shape the agendas and topics that address the top priorities impacting business leaders today.
by CIOs, for CIOs
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