New York, November 12 (Reuters/ PR Newswire ) – K-12, a provider of special education technology and teletherapy services, announced today that Jess Wang has been appointed as CEO, succeeding Kate Eberle Walker who has moved on to serve as the company's Executive Chairman of the Board. This transition marks a new phase for Presence; the company will continue to expand its national business, strengthen its technological products, and enhance its ability to help more schools meet the ever-changing needs of students with special requirements.
Wang has been appointed as the Chief Operating Officer of Presence since 2024. The company states that she has a deep understanding of the business, maintains close relationships with clients and clinical staff, and has a proven track record in improving operational performance. This appointment is designed as a leadership transition to ensure continuity, accelerate innovation, and lay the foundation for the long-term sustainable growth of Presence.
The company stated that at the time of this handover, the school was facing a continuous shortage of staff, an increasing administrative burden, and greater pressure to provide effective special education services. The company noted that school districts needed reliable partners more than ever before, partners who possessed experienced clinical staff, clear technical solutions, and reliable support.
Senior leaders during critical periods of special education
The company stated that Wang possesses decades of experience across the fields of education, technology, and labor development, and has proven track record in establishing and expanding national educational institutions. Her career began as a sociology teacher at a public high school and she has gone on to mentor the next generation of educators. Subsequently, she held senior leadership positions at the education technology company 2U, where she was responsible for building and leading large distributed teams to develop graduate programs for professionals in speech-language pathology, occupational therapy, and counseling, as well as launching and expanding technology-enabled educational services. The company noted that her experience in driving enterprise-level operational transformations, combined with her personal understanding of the challenges involved in classroom teaching and training qualified talent, gives her a unique perspective on the ever-changing needs of schools, educators, and clinical staff.
Wang indicates that "schools are required to do more than ever to support students with different learning needs, yet often have fewer resources. They need reliable partners, technologies that can solve practical problems, and services they can rely on." Presence possesses unique advantages that can meet these needs. We have an outstanding team, innovative technologies, and a clear vision to make special education more connected, efficient, and effective. I am delighted to lead the company forward in the next phase, focusing on delivering results for the schools, clinicians, and students who depend on us."
Move forward on the basis of growth and innovation.
Wang will replace Walker, who has driven significant growth for the company over the past eight years and transformed Presence into a national leader in the field of special education technology and services. The company states that under the leadership of Walker, Presence has expanded its reach, invested in technological innovation, and completed strategic acquisitions, thereby broadening its capabilities and consolidating its market position.
Currently, Presence collaborates with over 11,000 schools in 47 states, supporting a network of more than 2,000 certified clinical professionals, and has completed over 8 million remote assessment and remote treatment services. The company states that strategic initiatives such as the acquisition of Global Teletherapy and Education Modified have expanded its ability to provide critical student services, simplified the processes for special education work, and enabled schools to have a clearer understanding of student support needs.
Walker It has been one of the greatest honors of my professional career to lead Presence through growth and transformation over the past eight years. I am immensely proud of the company we have built, the excellent team behind it, and the millions of students we have helped to support. We have laid a solid foundation and accumulated significant momentum, and I am full of confidence in Jess as the leader who will continue to drive Presence forward.
Walker will continue to cooperate with Wang and the board of directors, and actively participate in supporting the long-term strategy and mission of Presence.
Accelerate purposeful technological innovation and customer impact
Under the leadership of Wang, Presence will continue to advance its technical strategy, while maintaining a focus on serving more students and schools.
Through continuously expanding technology products, Presence is helping schools to reduce administrative burdens, improve coordination, and gain a clearer understanding of student services. The company is also advancing responsible applications of artificial intelligence to support the professional capabilities of educators and clinical staff, while maintaining the central role of qualified professionals in student participation.
Presence has recently promoted Felipe Murillo to Chief Technology Officer, further demonstrating its commitment to security, scalability, and intelligent technologies. Murillo is responsible for engineering, network security, and artificial intelligence strategies, helping Presence to create a more integrated technical experience for schools and clinical personnel.
The company stated that, with an experienced leadership team, existing customer partnerships, and continuous support from investors such as Spectrum Equity, TPG Rise Fund, and Bain Capital Double Impact, Presence is now well-equipped to accelerate its growth and help schools provide more effective and interconnected special education services.
About Presence
Presence is a leading provider of remote therapy services and technologies for K-12 schools. Since 2009, Presence has helped schools meet the special education and mental health needs of students by connecting a network of certified clinicians across the country, utilizing award-winning technologies, and providing end-to-end clinical support. Presence is enabling schools, students, and clinicians to succeed no matter where they are.
