“ Rachna has always provided transparent communication, but her dedication has been highlighted through the pandemic. She ensures community members know exactly where to go online to find meeting information. She has provided insights into the challenges and considerations involved in navigating an unprecedented situation. She has shared her compassion, grace, humility and most importantly, her humanity while trying to find an acceptable solution for all. We know it's far beyond what they signed up for. Thank you to Rachna and the entire FCPS board for their tireless dedication.”

“Modern governance is more than processes and procedures. It is about showing heart and soul in our work and in serving people from the perspective of their needs, not our wants. Modern governance to me is ensuring I govern with transparency, authenticity, empathy, and responsiveness. We live in an interconnected world where people are used to immediate information but also where it can be difficult to discern what information is correct and reliable. Add to that the uncertainty and trauma COVID has brought, which makes accurate, timely, and empathetic communication and connection even more vital. I have worked to modernize governance by utilizing servant minded, authentic, and proactive communication that is delivered with the perspective of parents, students, and staff in mind. My goal has been to be as transparent and as available as possible through multiple means such as social media, email, and electronic town hall meetings, expanding upon traditional means of constituent outreach. This year, it has been about being honest that school systems are trying to find the “best bad” option in a sea of bad options but also recognizing that no matter what, we will find the bits of good even in all the bad and together, we can find the “more perfect.” And that my job as a leader is to bring us all together towards that goal of creating the “more perfect,” of making each day better than the last, of hanging on together, even in this upside-down world where it seems common ground is harder and harder to find. At the end of the day, that is both good governance and modern governance.”

USE CASES

• Transparent communication
• Up-to-date data

“Danielle has been the force multiplier in the District's use of BoardDocs. She has coordinated implementation, training and maintenance for the system. She has documented standards for usage and has essentially converted all official business of our Board of Trustees to the BoardDocs platform. This has made the Board of Trustees and my position as CEO more efficient and more effective in our service to the District. In addition she has helped many other Districts in our system get their use of the platform off the ground by sharing best practices.”

“Our Board was married to a paper process that was hard for them to let go. Many members at the time of my start had been trustees for over twenty years and did not use technology on a regular basis. I was shocked at the volume of paper produced for the 108 board packets created each month. The time and energy spent on an assembly line style process was costly. After I started with the district and earned their trust, I told them that if we moved to an online platform, that I would personally see to the success of the transition, train everyone, and control cost to the District by going to an online process. I saved our District over $80,000 annually just by moving to BoardDocs. I still stand by my commitment to the Board, staff, and community and continue to modernize our governance process by adding streaming, captioning, web-based training, and online development services to our Board and executive management. I implemented the use of iPads for board meetings to reduce setup times for meetings and encourage access no matter where they are. They now felt empowered and more engaged to stay up-to-date on matters of the District. During this pandemic, we are now conducting all meetings online. By making these moves years prior, our Board was ahead of the curve and prepared for social distancing, creating an instant appreciation for choosing BoardDocs eight years prior. Our three colleges were awarded their seven-year accreditation in 2018 in part with BoardDocs' body of evidence for the evaluation teams to utilize. This allowed for online interaction, sharing the same information instantly. Other Districts have used my work as a model for their systems. I'm proud to have done my part. If I win, then we all win!”

USE CASES

• Efficiency and cost savings
• Single source of truth for data​
• Web-based platform

“Exceptional administrator that goes above and beyond in communicating with and training city staff in very creative ways. He has made a fundamental change to the way the city does business. Digitizing their council agenda had been a workplace dream of his for close to 20 years. He gave an example that in pre-pandemic days, he had to walk to City Hall after a snowstorm and open up the Business Administrator's conference room so the Council President could come in and review the original paper versions of the ordinances and resolutions for the next council meeting, and that seemed outrageous that NJ's 2nd largest city should have had to operate that way.”

“It’s rewarding to be recognized by those who understand and help with the challenges that we in government face when elected officials and the public (rightfully) expect higher levels of service and transparency while available resources are either decreasing or re-tasked--particularly now during the pandemic. That said, I would be remiss if I did not acknowledge our great team at Jersey City, including the City Council, the City Clerk, the Business Administrator, and all the Departmental users who embraced a genuine culture change to one of our core processes. And it goes without saying that we could not have accomplished any of it without the incredible support we received from the Diligent team. I hope they know how much we appreciate them.”

USE CASES

• Workflow
• Tailored training
• Digital agenda