Blackboard Co-Founder Matthew Pittinsky Returns as CEO

Pittinsky joins an expanded leadership team, building on award-winning product momentum and shared mission to help educators turn teaching into learning

SCOTTSDALE, Ariz., Nov. 10, 2026 /PRNewswire/ -- Blackboard today announced the return of co-founder Matthew Pittinsky, Ph.D., as Chief Executive Officer, along with new executive leadership appointments. The expanded executive team marks a new chapter for the company as rapid advances in technology create opportunities to fundamentally rethink how the learning management system (LMS) supports educators, learners and institutions.

Nearly 30 years after helping pioneer the learning management system category, Pittinsky returns with an optimistic and pragmatic perspective on what education technology can achieve.  Unique among LMS leaders, his perspective is informed not only by his experience building technology companies but also by his work as a university professor, education researcher and school board member.

His appointment comes at a pivotal moment for education. As AI technology reshapes how students learn, educators teach and institutions assess achievement, Pittinsky sees an opportunity to evolve the LMS around the 'three Ls': organizing technology around the Learner, actively supporting Learning, and measuring and recording what was Learned.

"The learning management system is still largely a course management system. AI technologies provide an opportunity to fulfill the promise of what a true learning management system can do," said Pittinsky. "Our mission is to help educators turn teaching into learning. Bringing that vision to life will take the collective expertise of Blackboard's talent, working closely with educators to drive innovation and deliver a different experience."

One Team Building the Next Blackboard

As part of this next chapter, Blackboard is strengthening its executive leadership with experienced technology and business leaders who bring complementary expertise to the company. 

• Jason Simpson joined Blackboard as Chief Technology Officer in September, bringing more than 25 years of experience across software engineering, cloud infrastructure, security and large-scale technology transformation. Simpson leads the company's technology strategy, with a focus on platform performance, reliability, security and the technical foundation needed to accelerate innovation.
• Beth Lebowitz, Chief Legal Officer, brings 15 years of experience in technology law, corporate governance, privacy and commercial contracting. She joins Blackboard from Unanet, where she served as General Counsel, leading legal strategy, AI governance and efforts to streamline commercial operations. Previously, she advised education technology companies including Parchment and CampusLogic, bringing deep experience supporting innovation and growth in higher education.

Learn more about Blackboard's executive leadership team and its vision for the next era of teaching and learning at https://www.blackboard.com/company/leadership.

Blackboard enters its next phase as a debt-free company focused exclusively on teaching and learning, building on a year of award-winning innovation across its product portfolio.

About Matthew Pittinsky, Ph.D.

Matthew Pittinsky, Ph.D., co-founded Blackboard in 1997 and previously served as its CEO and Executive Chairman. He later served as CEO of Parchment, a digital credentialing company. Beyond his entrepreneurial experience, Pittinsky was a tenure-track assistant professor of sociology at Arizona State University, where he taught undergraduate courses and conducted research in the sociology of education. He remains a visiting scholar at ASU.

Pittinsky also serves on the Scottsdale Unified School District Governing Board and the boards of American University, Intellispark, New Classrooms and VitalSource. He holds degrees from American University, Harvard University Graduate School of Education and Teachers College, Columbia University.

About Blackboard

Blackboard delivers the digital environment for transformational teaching and learning. We serve thousands of institutions with the industry's most AI-advanced LMS (Blackboard LMS), Ally for digital content accessibility, and institutional effectiveness solutions that put educators and learners at the center. We're an education company that builds technology. Learn more at blackboard.com. 

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SOURCE Blackboard