Rob Abel, Ed.D., will retire after 17 years of leadership in advancing one of the world's leading edtech collaborations
LAKE MARY, Florida, August 22, 2023 — The 1EdTech® Board of Directors today announced that long-time CEO, Rob Abel, Ed.D., will retire on April 30, 2024. The board will conduct a search and selection process with a third-party recruiting company to hire a new CEO in the first quarter 2024. 1EdTech will create a web page providing the status of the search and selection process.
Abel became the CEO of 1EdTech Consortium (formerly known as IMS Global Learning Consortium) in February 2006. In that time, the organization grew from 50 to nearly 900 member organizations. During this period, 1EdTech expanded from a primary focus on higher education to include K-12 education. 1EdTech also grew globally with branded affiliate partnerships in South Korea, Japan, Europe, and the Middle East and North Africa. Under Abel’s leadership, 1EdTech created the Learning Impact Conference and Learning Impact Awards program, which has been conducted worldwide since 2007. IMS Global successfully launched the 1EdTech brand in 2022. The 501(c)(6) non-profit 1EdTech Consortium also added a 501(c)(3) affiliated charitable organization, the 1EdTech Foundation. Successful 1EdTech standards during this time include Learning Tools Interoperability®, OneRoster®, Question and Test Interoperability®, Common Cartridge®, AccessForAll®, Open Badges, Comprehensive Learner Record Standard™, Competencies and Academic Standards Exchange®, TrustEd Apps™ Data Privacy, and Caliper Analytics®. Today, 1EdTech is one of the largest and most vibrant standards-setting consortia in the world.
“It has been a privilege to contribute to the success of an organization in which edtech suppliers, K-12 districts/states, and higher ed institutions work together to shape the future of the edtech ecosystem,” said Abel. “The growth of the organization speaks to the compelling need for a trusted, neutral non-profit entity to facilitate cross-boundary collaboration, the leadership of the many member organizations that have contributed so much, and the expertise of the 1EdTech staff, who are the best in the world at what they do.”
“On behalf of participants in 1EdTech executive boards past and present, as well as the 1EdTech community and the many stakeholders in 1EdTech’s work around the globe, we thank Rob for more than 17 years of dedication to our cause,” said Melissa Loble, chair of the 1EdTech Board of Directors. “While we will certainly miss his leadership, Rob has told me that the best way to honor his legacy is to continue to grow the 1EdTech collaboration as we shape the open, trusted, and innovative edtech ecosystem.”
1EdTech will honor Abel’s retirement at the June 2024 Learning Impact event in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA, June 3-6, 2024.
About 1EdTech
1EdTech is a member-based non-profit community partnership of leading education providers at all levels, government organizations, and edtech suppliers who collaborate to accelerate an open, trusted, and innovative digital learning ecosystem. We power learner potential by creating the foundation for a learner-centered and future-ready ecosystem where products work together to improve teaching and learning for all.
1EdTech hosts the annual Learning Impact conference and other engagement opportunities to advance the leadership and ideas that shape the future of learning. The 1EdTech Foundation, an affiliated public charity, puts philanthropic funds to work in support of 1EdTech's vision. Visit our website at 1edtech.org.