Joseph Mercado

About Joseph Mercado

I am a technology executive and education systems architect with over 20 years of leadership experience designing secure, scalable infrastructure for K–12 and mission-driven organizations.My work sits at the intersection of enterprise architecture, data governance, and product strategy. I have led full-stack modernization initiatives across identity management, cloud collaboration platforms, device ecosystems, and student information systems—aligning technology decisions with institutional growth, risk mitigation, and long-term operational resilience.As Director of IT & Academic Records for a PreK–8 independent school, I serve as enterprise system owner for Google Workspace and Blackbaud Education Management, overseeing platform integrations, access architecture, FERPA-aligned governance, and audit-ready workflows. I partner cross-functionally with admissions, registrars, finance, and executive leadership to ensure that data systems are not just functional—but strategically structured, secure, and sustainable.Beyond operations, I design internal automation frameworks that reduce manual dependency, increase accuracy, and strengthen compliance while minimizing unnecessary vendor complexity. My approach emphasizes architectural clarity, long-term scalability, and measurable impact.I am particularly focused on the evolution of modern, secure, and cost-efficient SaaS platforms for small and independent schools—where thoughtful technology architecture can directly improve equity, transparency, and institutional trust.

Experience

1. Director of Information Technology

   Cambridge Friends School

   Apr 2023 — Present · Cambridge, MA, US

   Lead enterprise technology strategy and academic systems governance for a PreK–8 independent school, overseeing infrastructure, data architecture, and operational continuity across instructional and administrative environments.Serve as system owner for Google Workspace and Blackbaud Education Management, directing platform configuration, identity and access governance, lifecycle standards, and FERPA-aligned data workflows supporting enrollment and transcript management. Ensure audit readiness and long-term data integrity across institutional systems.Partner cross-functionally with Registrar, Admissions, Finance, and School Leadership to align technology with compliance, accreditation, and strategic growth. Provide guidance on risk mitigation, vendor evaluation, and operational modernization.Design and deploy automation frameworks that reduce manual workload, increase accuracy, and strengthen compliance controls—while minimizing unnecessary vendor complexity and licensing overhead. Emphasize scalable design, documentation rigor, and transparent governance.Selected Strategic Initiatives:Architected transcript request tracking aligned to Blackbaud workflows, improving reporting visibility and seasonal readinessEngineered Google Workspace lifecycle automation and MFA governance processes to enhance identity security postureDesigned controlled Drive remediation workflows with audit logging safeguards during offboardingModernized documentation and reporting frameworks to support audits and accreditation reviewsCore Focus: Enterprise Architecture · SaaS Platform Oversight · Identity Governance · Data Compliance · Systems Modernization · Workflow Automation · Risk & Audit Readiness

Education

• Southern New Hampshire University

  Bachelor's degree, Information Technology