New Beginnings: Tony Oran’s First 100 Days as CEO of CoderZ 

In the dynamic world of technology and education, there is an ever-present desire to adapt, grow, transform, and improve. We’re constantly looking for ways to reshape the STEM learning landscape and apply new approaches to enhance the teaching and learning experience. While change is typical in EdTech, one such transformation has taken center stage here at CoderZ, where we’ve worked hard to pioneer a legacy at the crossroads of coding education and innovation.  

With visionary zeal and a wealth of experience, Tony Oran stepped into the role of CEO, heralding a new era for CoderZ. 

Tony Oran’s ascent to the position of CEO has brought an exciting new energy to the atmosphere at CoderZ. An accomplished leader known for his ability to fuse innovation with strategic execution, Tony brings a fresh perspective to CoderZ. With a proven track record in navigating the intricate interplay of technology and education, he stands as a driving force behind the company’s mission to empower the next generation of coders. 

The first 100 days of any new CEO’s tenure are often regarded as a litmus test of their vision and strategy. It’s a period of introspection, transformation, and strategic recalibration. In the case of Tony, these initial days are poised to be a prologue to an exciting chapter in CoderZ’s journey.  

Our Marketing Team had the privilege to sit down with Tony and ask him some questions about the first 100 days in his new role and were delighted to have the opportunity to share a glimpse into the takeaways from this initial period in an exciting new chapter.  

“I came to CoderZ and this whole world of computer science, coding, and virtual robotics for one reason. With this product, we can impact hundreds of thousands of young minds and introduce them to the fantastic world of STEM through gamified learning and virtual competitions. I could leverage my network of visionaries and thought leaders in technical education that I have developed for the past 20 years. At one point, I actually heard myself say, ‘This will be easy. This will be so much fun’!” 

“After my first 100 days in this role, I can clearly state that the reason I came here is still true. I can also still say that this is fun! However, it is not easy. I am facing many of the same challenges that I faced in my former role: Lack of instructors who feel supported, empowered and prepared to teach CS, funding challenges, lack of state standards. This list goes on. The disappointing part is that on the back side of the pandemic, funding has really become a challenge.”

“The biggest challenge so far is simply lack of awareness around the need and benefit of coding in education, and the transformative effects and relevancy it has as it relates to other subjects and learning in general. In many cases, robotics and coding is simply a club or after school opportunity. While I fully support and value these programs, I am hopeful that our education system will see the importance of using a tool like CoderZ to improve a Math or Science course. At the same time, we are working hard to spread the word about the benefits of these topics with the goal of becoming a thought leader in STEM Education.” 

“My leadership style is based upon some basic things: Transparency, Inclusion, Diversity, Empowerment and Positivity. This translates well to my role as CEO of CoderZ as our mission is to make coding available to all. This also translates well with our staff of passionate people who deeply care about the quality of education of today and tomorrow. I am transparent with all of them. I include them in the development of our strategy and then empower them to implement and execute on it. We have a very diverse demographic of staff which brings innovation, various perspectives in thoughts and ideas, and ultimately makes us a more inclusive platform. Most importantly, we have a very positive culture.” 

“My current milestones are focused on developing a long-term strategy dedicated to growth and customer success – Schools, Teachers, and Students. We are working to deploy an efficacy study to demonstrate the positive impacts of our platform. I am very excited that we are also working to develop credentials in the form of digital badges for coding and virtual robotics.” 

“Of course I was nervous when I decided to leave a very good career of 19 years with the same company. I was stepping into a role where I had a lot to learn and needed to figure out how to guide and inspire a whole new group of people. At the same time, this also excited me. I was ready for the next step and for the challenge to see how my skills in leadership, sales, marketing and knowledge of the technical education system would translate to this new role. I approached the opportunity with a great deal of thoughtfulness and dedication.” 

“Over the next year, we will tailor our offering to match up to the evolving state standards for computer science. We will also reevaluate our Professional Development program to further enhance customer success in the classroom. The development and rollout of credentials will play a key role in supporting the CTE community which is in desperate need of an additional incoming pipeline of students. Finally, we are beginning to expand the platform to include not just mobile robots such as Lego Spike Prime, but also industrial robotic applications which will create a ‘Kindergarten to Career’ learning path to guide students from coding and computer science  to CTE.” 

“We all know the educational system has flaws, I have been made painfully aware of just how fragmented it is and the challenges that creates for an organization like CoderZ to grow.  I also learned that we cannot fulfill our strategic growth plan one school at a time, like I did in the traditional CTE space. We are engaging in top-down business development to connect with key decision makers to demonstrate how we can bring so many young minds into STEM programs at very early ages and give them the opportunity to make CS exciting and engaging.  

We have so many stories from our customers that tell us how CoderZ improves attendance, class engagement, and test scores in subjects like Math, Reading, and Science. We make coding and robotics programming relevant to the real world and to students’ day-to-day lives, (like with our Amazon Cyber Robotics Challenge, Airport City, and more). We have such a great story to tell and are working toward creating a legacy of impact.” 

At its core, CoderZ is more than just a company; it’s a conduit for change in the education sector. CoderZ’s foundation rests on the belief that coding is not just a skill, but a gateway to creativity, problem-solving, and critical thinking. Our company has carved a niche by offering an innovative platform that combines virtual coding environments with comprehensive curricula, providing students and educators with an immersive experience that transcends traditional learning methods. We are thrilled to continue to take the CS education world by storm with the guidance of Tony Oran.