Evan Harris of Pathos Consulting Group addresses the escalating risks of AI-generated deepfakes and companions within school communities. The discussion highlights the psychological tactics scammers use to bypass critical thinking, the limitations of technical detection tools, and the urgent need for schools to update policies and student safety protocols.

• Pathos Consulting Group - The organization founded by Evan Harris focused on deepfake safety and crisis readiness for schools.
• Reality Defender - A digital forensics tool mentioned for its use in identifying AI-generated content.
• KnowBe4 - A cybersecurity awareness platform discussed in the context of phishing and deepfake training.
• "Fake" by Perry Carpenter - A recommended resource for understanding the science of deception and human nature.
• Presidium - An organization cited for its data on the rise of youth-to-youth abuse within independent schools.
• Adaptive Security - A company providing cybersecurity training for high-stakes organizations.

Jamie Sullivan, TLIS, joins the podcast to share her veteran perspective on shifting from rigid software platforms to agile, user-centric systems. She discusses the power of regional collaboration through her year-long AI leadership cohort and explains why technology departments must prioritize "academic teching" to keep the focus on student learning.

• Castilleja School
• Toddle LMS
• Veracross
• Ruvna Safety Solutions
• Eric Hudson (Facilitator)
• Coachella Music Festival (Mentioned)
• SeniorNet (Mentioned)
• TLIS Certification

Ruvna's Marshall Singer and Orah's Matt Varley join the show to discuss the evolving intersection of school safety and technical leadership. The conversation highlights how technology directors are increasingly "quarterbacking" safety through real-time student tracking and Model Context Protocols to bridge data gaps between attendance records and physical locations.

Ruvna Safety Platform

Orah Student Tracking

Model Context Protocol (MCP)

Tron (1982)

Dr. Akbar Herndon, CTO of Grace Church School and a founder of the NEET conference, discusses his unique journey from professional jazz violinist to technology leader. He shares strategies for building highly diverse IT teams through a culture of belonging and explains why a "human first protocol" is essential when integrating AI into the independent school classroom.

1. Akbar’s LinkedIn Profile
2. Grace Church School
3. NYSAIS Education, Information, and Technology (NEIT) Conference
4. Black Swan Quartet, Akbar’s jazz group and recording
5. Weather Report, jazz fusion band
6. Max Roach, jazz drummer and composer

Dr. Geri Gillespy joins the podcast to discuss the transition from AI consumption to purposeful production. She shares her "three-legged stool" framework for change management and explores the emerging role of AI agents in independent schools. Learn how workforce development and human-in-the-loop practices ensure technology amplifies, rather than replaces, human creativity.

1. Microsoft Elevate for Educators, program designed to provide educators and school leaders with access to a global community, professional development, and resources to confidently integrate AI into teaching and learning.
2. Cyber Tabletop Simulation Game
3. Elevate webinars -- available to all? She mentioned “webinar I did yesterday”
4. Copyright gem
5. Mofongo, dish from Puerto Rico with plantains as its main ingredient
6. Fungo, special baseball bats used for training

Leaders from Blackbaud and Veracross join the panel to discuss the complexities of AI governance and student data privacy . The conversation covers essential steps for establishing AI policies, understanding international regulations like GDPR and NIST, and the shift toward agentic AI. Gain practical insights on vetting vendors and securing your digital perimeter.

1. Blackbaud, cloud software provider serving nonprofits, educational institutions, healthcare organizations, and CSR entities in the areas of fundraising, financial management, and education administration.
2. Veracross, cloud-based student information system (SIS) and school management platform designed specifically for private and independent K-12 schools, connecting academics, admissions, accounting, development, and student health.
3. Data Harmony: Integrating Systems, Empowering Schools, previous episode of TTWA featuring Blackbaud and Veracross
4. NIST Cybersecurity Framework (CSF)
5. NIST AI Risk Management Framework (RMF)
6. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR)
7. California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA)
8. Coquito, traditional Christmas drink that originated in Puerto Rico

This episode is a replay of Season 4, Episode 79

Relive the dynamic opening keynotes from the ATLIS Annual Conference with Felix Jacomino and Claire Goldsmith. Felix, Director of Technology at St. Stephen's Episcopal Day School, reflects on past tech trends to provide a roadmap for future innovation. Claire, Principal of Lamplight Education, discusses harnessing emerging technologies like AI and Web3 to build resilient, future-ready schools, emphasizing curiosity, collaboration, and ethical courage.

1. Lamplight Education
2. St. Stephen's Episcopal Day School
3. Stanford Online High School
4. Malone Schools Online Network
5. Enrollment Management Association
6. Zoom
7. Grammarly
8. ChatGPT
9. Claude

This episode features a reply of Season 4, Episode 80 of Talking Technology with ATLIS.

Below are the show notes and link to the original episode:

This episode replays a dynamic panel from the 2025 ATLIS Annual Conference, exploring the future of education with experts in AI, quantum computing, and extended reality (XR). Dr. Jacob Farinholt of Booz Allen, Vriti Saraf of Ed3 DAO, and Patrick Schuermann of Optima XR, along with students Jalen and Maggie, discuss how emerging technologies will reshape learning, the skills students will need, and why human-centered pedagogy remains critical.

Original Episode