Who leads the institute?
The institute is led by its director, with staff supporting research development, communications, policy review, legal oversight, and administrative continuity.
People
Leadership and staff supporting independent educational technology research at Commonwealth Research Institute.
This page identifies institute leadership, staff responsibilities, and the operational roles that support research, publication, and public communication.
What does the People page include?
This page identifies leadership, staff responsibilities, and governance contact so readers can understand who supports the institute’s research, publication, and public communication work.
Robert Vendel, Ed.D., serves as director of CRI in Virginia, overseeing research direction, publication framing, and broader institutional coordination.
Director profile
Robert Vendel, Ed.D.
Director
Institutional role
Leads research direction, publication standards, and institutional planning.
Research focus
Educational technology systems, institutional analysis, policy design, and digital learning implementation.
Education
Ed.D.
Staff
Staff supporting research, communications, policy analysis, and administration.
Institute work is supported by staff across research, communications, policy, and operational functions.
Current staff member
Martha Williams, PhD
Role
Deputy Director
Institutional area
Leadership and operations
Current contribution
Supports institute coordination, internal planning, and continuity of leadership priorities across research, publication, and EdTech program development.
Board of Directors
Board leadership supports institutional direction, governance, and continuity.
The board supports the institute through governance, institutional oversight, and long-range continuity across its public and organizational work.
Governance correspondence is intended for formal institutional matters rather than routine research, press, or support inquiries.
Governance and oversight
Board correspondence may be directed here for governance-related questions, institutional matters, or formal communication intended for board review.
Contact
BOARD CORRESPONDENCEResearch direction
Current work centers on educational technology, implementation, governance, participation, and digital workforce pathways.
The institute’s work is carried through a combination of leadership, staff support, and research-focused roles. Study areas include K-12 digital systems, higher education platforms, workforce technology, governance, institutional performance, procurement, privacy, and digital participation.
The aim is to build a coherent long-range body of analysis rather than a stream of commentary, with emphasis on method, measurable results, and informed understanding of educational technology.
The People page is meant to clarify who directs the work, which staff functions sustain it, and where institutional or governance-related communication should go.
Current contributions
Institute direction
Leads the institute’s research framing, editorial standards, and long-range focus on educational technology, implementation, and measurable outcomes.
Comparative studies
Develops comparative work on K-12 digital learning, postsecondary platforms, workforce technology, and policy variation across governance environments.
Methodological development
Advances structured approaches for platform data analysis, case-based review, mixed-method design, and public communication of findings.
Research focus
Platform outcomes
Research on measurable platform use, course participation, completion, persistence, and long-range implementation performance.
EdTech policy analysis
Evaluation of how policy decisions influence digital learning systems, governance, and measurable technology outcomes.
Methods and evidence
Use of quantitative, qualitative, and mixed-method research to interpret EdTech data with clarity and rigor.
Areas of inquiry
K-12 digital learning systems
Comparative study of LMS deployment, classroom tools, device access, and digital implementation design across public school systems.
Postsecondary platform outcomes
Research on completion rates, persistence, advising tools, online student support, and measurable outcomes across colleges and universities.
Workforce technology and credentials
Analysis of digital training pathways, credential value, workforce preparation, and program effectiveness.
Policy, governance, and procurement
Evaluation of EdTech policy, governance, procurement design, privacy oversight, and implementation conditions.
Institute functions
Research development
Projects are shaped through structured review, comparative framing, source evaluation, and continued refinement before publication across EdTech subject areas.
Editorial and communications support
Institute work is prepared for public release through careful formatting, communications review, and publication coordination for EdTech-facing outputs.
Institutional continuity
Administrative, legal, and operational support helps maintain continuity across research, governance, and public presentation.
Ongoing focus
Current work is organized around a focused research agenda rather than a broad institutional roster.
Ongoing work includes comparative research on state and territorial systems, methodological frameworks for structured analysis, and review of policy, governance, finance, and performance questions across education.
As the institute grows, this section can expand to include additional contributors or affiliated researchers. At present, it is intended to present the institute through the director’s profile, research agenda, and active lines of inquiry.
Careers
Learn more about institutional roles and future pathways to contribute.
The institute’s work depends on research, communications, policy, legal, and administrative support. The careers page outlines the kinds of roles that align with the institute’s standards and long-range direction.