COLLIERVILLE, Tenn. — Lisa Marie (Burkett) Higgins, chief technology officer for Collierville Schools, recently earned the Certified Education Technology Leader (CETL) designation from the Consortium for School Networking by passing a rigorous certification exam. Higgins, a Pqua High School graduate, has served as the district chief technology officer since 2018 and brings over 20 years of education and technology experience to the position.

Higgin’s history with the district dates back to the establishment of the school system in 2013. Higgins, daughter of Sam and Karen Burkett of Piqua, plays a critical role in the district’s technologically advanced landscape across the school system.

The CETL program is the only practice-based certification program available to education technology leaders that bridges technical knowledge, understanding of the educational environment, leadership and vision, and the management of technology and support resources needed to integrate technology across the curriculum to advance student outcomes. The CETL credential is an accurate measure of today’s education technology leaders, identifying those who have mastered the framework skills and knowledge needed to bring 21st-century skills to schools.

Higgins is also a graduate of the University of Dayton with a bachelor of science degree. She also graduated from Silver Lake College in Wisconsin with a master of science degree in Teacher Leadership and the Christian Brothers College in Tennessee with a master of science in Educational Leadership.

“I am so excited for Ms. Higgins. I am deeply appreciative of her commitment to continually seek opportunities to grow professionally and to practically apply that knowledge to enhance teaching and learning in our district. Earning the CETL certification is no easy task, but I was not surprised that Lisa took it upon herself to go for it as it only requires the same hard work, initiative, and commitment to excellence that she demonstrates on a daily basis,” said Superintendent Dr. Lilly. He continued by saying, “Having a CETL designee at Collierville Schools elevates the technology experience in this ever-changing field of education technology.”