Staff Spotlight: Brian Coppedge, VP of Finance and Operations
Q&A with Brian
When did you join Leadership ISD and how have you seen the organization evolve?
I joined Leadership ISD at the beginning of 2019 and have had the opportunity to see our organization grow and change over the past five years. I’m so proud of our commitment to educational equity and how focused we are on our mission. After exploring a number of valuable workstreams that impact kids, I’m confident that raising the bar for school board governance is the number one thing we can be doing to improve student outcomes and student experience. Strong, student-focused board leadership is absolutely critical because it has such a significant trickle-down effect on our public school districts.
What do you do for Leadership ISD?
I oversee all of the business functions of the organization—operations, finance, HR, communications, technology supports, etc. My passion is creating better systems to unleash the full power of people, so I love getting to set up our incredible team for success and let them focus on their amazing work with trustees and community members!
Why are you passionate about educational equity? What motivates you?
I was very fortunate to receive a strong education that opened many doors to me, and EVERY child deserves the same opportunity. Frustratingly, that’s not the reality in our society. There are vast disparities between resources, opportunities, and outcomes that students experience in our communities, and those disparities typically occur along racial and socioeconomic lines. We must create an education system that doesn’t just work for some kids but for ALL kids. We must recognize that different students need different supports to succeed and provide individualized tools and resources to ensure every student of every race, socioeconomic status, language, and ability is prepared to achieve their boldest dreams. I want the best for my daughter, and I know that every other parent wants the same for their kids. Our shared humanity motivates me to work toward a future where all children are given the best.
Are you working on any special projects?
Creating our new candidate evaluation tool (launching for school board elections next spring) has been a really fun project for me. Participation in school board elections is dreadfully low and few people actually know what school board trustees are supposed to be doing, so educating our communities about the roles and responsibilities of trustees and getting out the informed vote is crucial if we want to elect strong, prepared candidates who are laser-focused on student outcomes. I love it when I can use my technical background and communications expertise to support our work in direct ways like this.
What advice would you offer to a current student?
I think one of my most influential experiences in high school was my involvement in student government. I learned how to work with others, motivate a team, and manage large-scale projects. This early leadership experience was very valuable in my college activities and in my early career. So, I’d encourage students to get involved in extracurriculars, whatever they may be, and find a space where they can pursue their interests and learn how to collaborate with and lead others toward a common goal. These skills are invaluable no matter what you decide to do in life.
What do you like to do in your free time?
I love hiking and exploring nature with my wife, and when we are able, traveling abroad. We completely renovated our first home and are now making a number of improvements to our second, so I also spend a lot of time working on house projects. Although it is a bit of a love-hate relationship at times, I really enjoy working with my hands and get a great sense of satisfaction from seeing the transformation that I made happen.
