Think Together Welcomes Key Leaders to Impact Portfolio Team to Advance Innovation in Education

The Impact Portfolio Team is projected to expand Think Together's reach to over 100,000 more students across California by 2029.

SANTA ANA, Calif., July 24, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Think Together, California's leading nonprofit provider of expanded learning, afterschool programs, staffing, and school improvement services, is proud to welcome four new leaders to its growing Impact Portfolio team: Derek Lasher as Senior Vice President of Product; Anthony Monahan, Vice President of Product Design; Billy Cruz, Vice President of Software Engineering; and Johnny Santos, Chief of Staff.

With the completion of its strategic plan, Think Together is entering a new phase of growth focused on expanding its reach through digital products and AI tools. These innovations are part of the Impact Portfolio, a bold set of initiatives designed to ensure every child graduates high school with access to all of life's possibilities. Reporting to Chief of Innovation Matt Scharpnick, these key leaders will support Think Together's Impact Portfolio by accelerating its efforts to deliver tech-forward education solutions.

Derek Lasher, Senior Vice President of Product
In his role as SVP of Product, Derek Lasher will lead the design and development of a new suite of digital offerings for Think Together. Lasher joined Think Together as a consultant in 2024 and became a full-time team member in April 2025. His team will partner closely to build AI-powered tools that support school leaders in driving student achievement.

Anthony Monahan, Vice President of Product Design
As VP of Product Design, Anthony Monahan will spearhead the Impact Portfolio product design and create AI-driven user experiences across all portfolio products. Monahan joins Think Together from BCG X, where he served as a principal designer, and brings extensive experience in systems design, interaction design and digital strategy. His priority will be to advance a unified design system and craft AI-powered user experiences across the organization's digital solutions.

Billy Cruz, Vice President of Software Engineering
Billy Cruz joins Think Together as Vice President of Software Engineering, where he will lead the engineering function within the Impact Portfolio. He will focus on scaling digital infrastructure and integrating AI into product development. Cruz brings nearly 20 years of experience in software engineering, most recently as a principal engineer at BCG, where he led cross-functional teams in AI, cloud-native platforms, and full-stack development.

Johnny Santos, Chief of Staff, Impact Portfolio
As Chief of Staff, Johnny Santos will serve as a strategic partner to Scharpnick and the broader Impact Portfolio team. Santos brings a strong background in scaling teams and systems during periods of rapid organizational growth. He will lead efforts to drive operational alignment, support cross-functional collaboration, and promote shared learning across the organization's innovation efforts.

"As we move into a bold new chapter of growth and innovation, these leaders bring a dynamic combination of experience, creativity, and technical expertise that will help Think Together scale its impact," said Think Together Founder and CEO Randy Barth. "Each bring a track record of building successful teams and solutions that align perfectly with our vision to transform education systems." 

The Impact Portfolio, led by Scharpnick, brings together cross-functional leaders to design and scale innovative, tech-enabled solutions that expand educational opportunity and support student success statewide beyond Think Together's core expanded learning services. Scharpnick returned to Think Together in May 2025 after serving as a director at BCG X, the digital and AI innovation arm of Boston Consulting Group.

For more information about Think Together and its expanded learning programs, visit thinktogether.org.

About Think Together
For over 25 years, Think Together has partnered with schools and communities to pursue educational opportunity and excellence for all kids. As a nonprofit organization, Think Together innovates, implements, and scales academic solutions that change the odds for hundreds of thousands of California students each year. Think Together's program areas include early learning, afterschool programs, staffing, and leadership development for teachers and school administrators. For more information, call (888) 485-THINK or visit www.thinktogether.org. 

SOURCE Think Together