LINQ, the only 100% cloud and browser-based school nutrition and administration solutions available to the K-12 industry, today announced the appointment of seasoned school financial expert Nicole Conley to its Board of Directors. Conley is currently a Managing Director for Siebert Williams Shank Co. LLC, the largest woman and minority-owned investment bank in the United States. Previously, she served as the Chief Finance, Business, and Operations Officer for the Austin Independent School District. Conley managed a nearly $3 billion budget and capital program, including 129 school communities serving more than 80,000 students.
“Nicole's unique experience is highly relevant and firmly aligned with our goal of elevating business operation solutions in K-12 districts nationwide, making her an ideal addition to LINQ's Board of Directors,” said Tim Clifford, Executive Chairman at LINQ. “As a nationally recognized school finance expert, Nicole’s skill set and deep expertise will be invaluable to the diverse districts we serve. We look forward to her contributions as we elevate LINQ's solutions to build stronger schools.”
Conley has over 20 years of financial management experience, including more than a decade in an executive role. She has served large, complex, urban systems, including the City Council of New York, the New York City Department of Education, District of Columbia Public Schools, Fairfax County Public Schools, and Atlanta Public Schools. The Speaker of the House appointed Conley to serve on the Texas Commission on Public School Finance, whose work culminated in a historic $11.6 billion investment into public education and property tax relief. In addition, Conley lobbied the state of Texas to better fund public education. She served on this influential committee in 2018 that helped shape marquee legislation the following year that made sweeping changes to the Texas school finance system, which emerged as a national model for funding equity.
In 2019, the Texas Association of Business Officials honored Conley with its Champion for Education Award. In addition, the friends of Texas Public Schools distinguished her as Ambassador of the Year, the Ann Richards School for Young Women Leaders recognized her as one of its Ground breaking Women, and the Austin Business Journal named her among its “Profiles in Power;” subsequently earning her their Legacy CFO award in 2022 after being named CFO of the year in 2011. She also earned the Umstattd Award from Phi Delta Kappa, University of Texas Chapter, for outstanding service to public education.
“LINQ has a strong purpose of empowering the central office heroes who make K-12 districts stronger. I'm honored to play a role in the company's next chapter of strategic transformation,” Conley said. “I am grateful for the trust of the Board and look forward to bringing my decades of experience to support schools in addressing ongoing business operations performance.”
To learn more about LINQ's solutions for schools, visit www.linq.com.
About LINQ
For over 30 years, our mission has been to empower the everyday heroes who make K-12 districts and schools stronger. Combining best-in-class technology with industry-leading expertise, we help school and state administrators rise to the challenges of today while building the foundation for a better tomorrow. Improving efficiency, optimizing performance, and managing compliance through our suite of administrative, financial, and nutritional solutions to help you make a bigger impact for your staff, students and communities. To find out more about LINQ’s integrated suite, visit LINQ.com or follow us on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.
