BURRILLVILLE – A town resident who brings a wealth of experience to the role from time in the private sector has been named the new technology director for the Burrillville School District.
Matthew Zanni will take on the position, which also includes leading IT for the town itself, with responsibility for shaping and executing Burrillville’s overall strategy.
Zanni most recently served as director of governance, risk and compliance for Connecticut-based health technology company Hyperfine, Inc., where “he managed concurrent HITRUST and SOC 2 audits while overseeing enterprise-wide compliance for the global medical device company,” according to a release on the hire this week from the Burrillville School Department.
Zanni previously worked as chief technology officer at CoachEm, Inc.; principal of software engineering at Hittrax; and vice president of Software Engineering at Potentiis.
“Zanni brings experience implementing data privacy, access controls, and regulatory compliance frameworks,” noted the district.
The new hire said he’s excited to be able to put his skills to work for the town he calls home.
“The opportunity to apply my 25 plus years of technology leadership experience in cybersecurity, infrastructure, compliance, and digital transformation to benefit our students, staff, and residents is the kind of meaningful work I am looking for,” Zanni noted.
Outside of work, Zanni has been involved with the Burrillville Prevention Action Coalition and has served on committees for the Harrisville Fire Department regarding apparatus acquisition and the ongoing village fire department consolidation discussions.
A past entrepreneur and father of three who moved to town in 2003, Zanni has had computer science course training at the University of Rhode Island, and served in the United States Army Intelligence. In town, he’ll be tasked with providing “leadership, vision, and strategic direction for all instructional and operational technology within the Burrillville School District,” according to the job description. “The position ensures the effective integration of digital tools to enhance teaching and learning, oversees the district’s one-to-one Chromebook initiative, and maintains secure, reliable, and high-quality technology services for all users.”
He’ll also provide technology support for all town departments establishing technology policies, managing budgets, implementing system-wide cybersecurity, managing and coordinating with third-party vendors, leading emergency response efforts and driving digital transformation in the senior leadership role.
Zanni past work also includes a stint as an interim AP computer science teacher at the Burrillville High School. In seeking the job, he noted that he has assisted with planning for the future of computer science programs at Burrillville schools, and that having his children enrolled in the district since the start of their education means he is personally invested in ensuring that technology infrastructure supports student success.
“This is not just a job opportunity for me—it is a chance to serve a community and school system I am already deeply invested in,” he said.
Zanni was chosen for the job by a search committee included school district community members and town employees.
“We are thrilled to have Matthew Zanni as our Director of Technology,” said Supt. Michael Sollitto of the hire. “With his vast experience in the tech field and his strong commitment to the community, Matt will be instrumental in moving forward the multiple technology initiatives across the school district.”
For his part, Zanni noted that the new job marks an extension of a longstanding commitment to the community.
“Throughout my time in Burrillville, I have looked for ways to contribute—whether through teaching, coaching, photographing youth sports, or serving on town committees,” he said. “This position represents an opportunity to bring all of my professional expertise to bear in service of a community I care about.”
