When Oz Robledo got an electric bike a couple years ago, he was excited to show everyone its high-tech features, along with a rechargeable light-up helmet.
“I had to laugh at his all-out excitement,” said Dawn Mawhinney, director of educational services for Sonoma Valley Unified School District. “It was contagious, however, because I joined the wait list for the fancy, light-up helmet.
“Only Oz could make that sound like the most exciting thing ever invented.”
But Robledo was composed Nov. 9 when he made an impassioned plea to the district’s board of trustees to approve the purchase of cloud-based security cameras on all campuses.
He did so just hours after someone sent an email to a Sonoma Valley High School staff threatening to use a firearm to kill people on campus.
The board unanimously approved the purchase.
Robledo’s colleagues had become accustomed to his enthusiasm and his humor ever since he became the district’s manager of information technology.
“He loves to make jokes about himself as a way to ease tense situations or conversations,” said Andy Gibson, chair of the history and social science department at Sonoma Valley High School. “It helps to put everyone at ease and is able to get a couple chuckles from people, too.”
Gibson said Robledo is very approachable and easy to talk to.
“Oz is not only sincere, but has a quality that is lacking in today’s society … and that is his humility,” he said.
Robledo, who resides in Glen Ellen, is a lifelong resident of Sonoma County and attended Sonoma Valley High School. So, he came full-circle when he began serving as the district’s IT manager in May 2021.
“A few things lined up and when I saw an opportunity that would allow me to use my skills and knowledge to help our schools and by proxy, our community, I jumped at the chance,” he said. “Definite bonus points were the ability to work in my hometown.
“I feel very lucky to be working locally and doing something that I feel is important and rewarding.”
He is responsible for the planning, implementation and maintenance of the district’s tech infrastructure and systems, as well as aligning tech strategies with districtwide educational goals.
“I keep up with technological advances in hardware and software,” Robledo said. “A few questions I am continuously asking are ‘How can technology Help teacher to teach help students to learn?’ ‘How can technology keep us safe?’ and ‘How can technology help us to multiply our efforts?’”
Kimberly Smith, office manager at Altimira Middle School, praises Robledo’s work.
“Oz has been able to streamline the Information Technology Department by looking at all the different factors, including school enrollment and staffing, and making the technology in the district more functional,” she said.
Mawhinney said Robledo cares deeply about how his department supports student learning.
“He facilitates communication and creates feedback opportunities,“ she said. ”He wants to ensure students, teachers and all staff have the tools they need and that the tools are functioning properly.“
Robledo has implemented processes and workflows to help keep the district’s data more secure.
“We now have iPads for students up through second grade,” he said. “Also, IT is now getting involved with the security camera system throughout the district and we will be using high-tech solutions to keep everyone safer.”
Robledo was part of a team of educators that visited the Apple Park campus in Cupertino on Oct. 26 to support the integration of educational technology at the district’s schools.
His main takeaway from the visit was that the tech currently available to the district can renew excitement in everyone.
“What a powerful experience it can be for teachers and students to be able to use the tools that are in front of them in new and exciting ways,” Robledo said.
He has been interested in technology ever since he started fiddling around with electronics in elementary school.
“I’ve always enjoyed learning about cutting-edge tech and tools,” Robledo said. “I’ve taken apart and successfully put back together things as small as a remote control, as large as a Ford 29 and as complicated as a computer destined to be used by a government contractor.”
At one point, he began considering a career in psychology or sociology and took classes in them at Santa Rosa Junior College.
“To this day, I find psychology and sociology incredibly interesting,” he said. “But I ended up going on a different path, and I’m very glad that I did.”
He began his IT career by working in startups, including Desktop Support Solutions, a green tech company that progressed to become a worldwide, NASDAQ-listed firm during his tenure.
Robledo served the company from 2010 to 2018, starting as a customer support agent and the serving in a few other positions, including technical trainer. He helped to open new office in the United States, Mexico and Europe.
He subsequently worked as the technology support engineer for QT Ultrasound LLC, a medical startup based in Novato, before serving Sonoma Valley Unified School District.
Robledo’s wife, Emily, works in marketing and graphic design. They have two boys, ages 8 and 3.
When he’s not working, Robledo enjoys photography and biking — either mountain biking in the hills or commuting to and from work on his treasured e-bike.
Reach the reporter, Dan Johnson, at daniel.johnson@sonomanews.com.
