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Last weekend, I had the privilege of joining my friend Mugunth Vaithylingam, CIO of the Clark County School District, as his guest for the inaugural TISS Spotlight on Excellence Awards.
It was a wonderful evening celebrating the people behind the technology organization supporting the 5th largest school district in the country. But what stood out to me most was getting to see firsthand the culture Mugunth is building and the care he puts into recognizing his team.
The evening wasn’t simply about awards. It was about making people feel seen and appreciated. Team members were recognized for their contributions, families were thanked for the support and sacrifices that often happen behind the scenes, and CCSD’s summer student interns were included as part of the celebration and the future of the profession.
One message from the evening particularly stayed with me: Ubuntu, “I am what I am because of you.”
It is a powerful reminder that leadership is ultimately about people. The technology matters. The transformation matters. The results matter. But none of it happens without the people behind it.
Congratulations to Mugunth, the entire TISS organization, all of the nominees and award recipients, and everyone who helped make the evening possible.
And thank you, Mugunth, for inviting me to be part of such a meaningful celebration. I especially loved the parting gift. The “Be Both. Human + Kind.” mug is already getting good use during my morning coffee and a little quiet writing and reflection.
Be Both. Human + Kind.
#Leadership #CIO #TechnologyLeadership #ITLeadership #Culture #Recognition #ClarkCountySchoolDistrict
