Think Together creates new C-suite role to fuel market innovation and transform educational outcomes as it expands services and impact across California.
SANTA ANA, Calif., May 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ — Think Together, California’s leading nonprofit provider of expanded learning, afterschool programs, staffing, and school improvement services, is pleased to announce the appointment of Matt Scharpnick as Chief of Innovation, Impact Portfolio.
Think Together welcomes Matt Scharpnick as its new Chief of Innovation to help lead the organization’s next phase of growth and impact.
With the completion of Think Together’s strategic plan, the organization is launching a bold new phase of growth through its Impact Portfolio to create conditions where every child has access to all of life’s possibilities upon graduation from high school. As Chief of Innovation, Scharpnick will play a pivotal role in building out Think Together’s five-year plan to double its footprint and increase its impact on school systems across California and beyond.
“Our Impact Portfolio is designed to extend the reach of Think Together’s core services by elevating what we offer in support of schools and communities,” said Founder and CEO of Think Together Randy Barth. “Scharpnick brings a rare blend of creativity, strategic insight, and digital innovation expertise that will help advance our vision for scalable and equitable student success.”
In this role, Scharpnick will lead the strategic development of technological solutions for Orenda Education, Leading for Student Success, as well as a new suite of digital products designed to expand the impact of Think Together’s core expanded learning and afterschool programs. He will also drive innovation across Think Together’s Impact Portfolio using technology and strategic design to scale transformative education efforts statewide.
The Impact Portfolio will focus on leveraging digital tools, including artificial intelligence, to help schools elevate student outcomes. Scharpnick will partner with leaders across Think Together and its sister organizations to launch new ventures, train the next generation of education leaders, and deliver proven practices to the right stakeholders at the right time.
Scharpnick returns to Think Together with nearly two decades of experience in strategy, design, and digital transformation. He most recently served as a Director at BCG X, the digital and AI innovation arm of Boston Consulting Group, where he led product development and venture launches for Fortune 500 companies. He also co-founded Elefint, a design studio focused on supporting mission-driven organizations through strategy and storytelling. Earlier in his career, he served as Think Together’s Director of Marketing and Communications from 2006 to 2007.
“Returning to Think Together feels like coming full circle—not just personally, but professionally,” said Scharpnick. “It’s an exciting moment to be part of an organization that’s leaning into innovation to meet the needs of today’s students. I’m honored to help lead efforts that make our systems more scalable, more sustainable, and ultimately more impactful.”
“Innovation is essential to transforming education at scale,” added Barth. “By reimagining systems and streamlining how we deliver what works in schools, we can align people and practices around a shared vision for student achievement.”
For more information about Think Together and its expanded learning programs, visit thinktogether.org.
About Think Together
For over 25 years, Think Together has partnered with schools and communities to pursue educational opportunity and excellence for all kids. As a nonprofit organization, Think Together innovates, implements, and scales academic solutions that change the odds for hundreds of thousands of California students each year. Think Together’s program areas include early learning, afterschool programs, staffing, and leadership development for teachers and school administrators. For more information, call (888) 485-THINK or visit www.thinktogether.org.
SOURCE Think Together
