Fractional COO/CTO for K-12 & Nonprofits

From chaos to clarity.
Together.

I partner with mission-driven leaders to build systems, coach teams to ownership, and create capacity that lasts long after I'm gone.

"He meets you exactly where you are." — Gabby, Dean of School Operations
Chiv Heng

Trusted by leaders at

Blackstone Valley Prep
RISE Prep
Nowell Academy
PVD Prep

This might be for you if...

You're a school or nonprofit leader drowning in operational fires instead of focusing on mission

Your team is capable, but your systems aren't set up for them to succeed

You've tried consultants before, but the solutions left when they did

You want a partner who builds with you, not a vendor who delivers and disappears

How I Partner

I don't do drive-by consulting. I work alongside your team, build solutions collaboratively, and help you navigate the change — not just the implementation.

01

Listen & Learn

Before anything else, I understand your systems, your people, and what's actually getting in the way. No assumptions, no cookie-cutter solutions.

02

Build Together

I work alongside your team, not around them. Every system we create, your people help design. That's how ownership happens.

03

Transfer & Step Back

The goal is always to make myself unnecessary. I coach, document, and hand off so your team runs it without me.

"Build capacity, not consultant dependency."

Where I Can Help

I work across operations, technology, and data. The aim isn't better tech for its own sake — it's clarity and capacity for the people doing the work for the benefit of the community you serve.

Systems & Data Infrastructure

SIS implementations, data cleanup, integrations, and reporting automation. So your team spends less time fighting tools and more time focused on students.

  • Clean, reliable data your team trusts
  • Automated reports that used to take hours
  • Systems that talk to each other

Team Capacity & Process

Workflow design, training, and coaching. Build internal capability so your team can own and improve systems over time.

  • Clear processes people actually follow
  • Staff confident with their tools
  • Documentation that outlasts any one person

Practical Technology Strategy

Hands-on guidance to help leaders evaluate AI and modern tools for their actual work.

  • Real use cases grounded in your workflows
  • Tools you can start using immediately
  • Time back for mission-critical work

Client Case Study

School Systems Data Flow Map - Example of systems architecture work

Systems Data Flow Audit

The Problem: The operations team was spending over 15 hours a week manually moving data between disconnected systems, leading to friction and burnout.

The Approach: I conducted a comprehensive audit alongside the team members using each tool. We mapped the critical systems to identify what could be automated and what processes needed redesigning.

The Result: The resulting architecture eliminated data silos, reclaimed 15 hours a week of staff capacity, and created a single source of truth for the organization.

What Partners Say

I'm grateful to work with mission-driven leaders who are generous with their feedback.

"What stands out most is how intentional Chiv is about making sure you understand the why behind the work. He meets you exactly where you are, breaking down complex systems in a way that feels manageable and clear—that combination makes working with him both empowering and impactful."

— Gabby, Dean of School Operations, Charter School

"Chiv always remains calm and cool even in the most heated of situations, which helps keep focus on the issue at hand. There's a sense of thought partnership that makes solutions feel tailored to your team's specific needs."

— Christine, Chief Financial Officer, Charter School

"Before we worked together, our systems were unreliable and when technology broke it often stalled our work. What stood out was Chiv's ability to quickly understand what schools actually needed and translate that into usable tools. As a result, our systems felt more reliable, processes were clearer, and there was less day-to-day stress."

— Rebecca Boswell, Head of School, Blackstone Valley Prep ES1

"Chiv is one of the smartest people I know—he is extremely capable at gathering information, identifying problems, and brainstorming solutions. He's able to see all sides of a problem, which helped our team weigh pros and cons while working towards solutions."

— Dillon Falk, Director of Specialized Instruction, Blackstone Valley Prep

"Chiv is so easy to work with—he's an active listener who demonstrates both empathy and competence when helping to diagnose problems. Not only did he help fix our issue, but he gave me a framework for approaching similar problems in the future."

— David Jose, Director of HS Innovation and Postsecondary Planning, Blackstone Valley Prep

"I have truly enjoyed the way you connect the human side of things to the work. This can be lost easily in the shuffle of projects and tasks, especially in operations, but you have provided me with such great perspective around the power of change management and how, when done well, it can allow operations to thrive and serve the greater organization's purpose."

— Rosalind DaCruz, Executive Director, RISE Prep Academies

Open Systems Tools

I believe in building capacity, not gatekeeping knowledge. These are tools and guides I've created through client work and collaborations. Use them freely.

College Navigator Plugin

An open-source Claude Code plugin for college planning — adaptive student interviews, competitive gap analysis, and campus visit optimization. Free for students, families, and schools.

View on GitHub

PowerSchool RI State Reporting Guide

Documentation for Rhode Island schools using PowerSchool SIS. Covers state reporting requirements, common issues, and field-by-field guidance that goes beyond what PowerSchool provides.

View in Notion

AI for Good Workshop Resources

Enter your email below for immediate access to the practical exercises, prompt templates, and curated resources from my in-person nonprofit workshop.

Featured Workshop

AI for Nonprofit Leaders

There's no shortage of AI content out there, but most of it isn't made for nonprofit leaders juggling strategy, programs, and limited bandwidth. This free, intentionally small, in-person workshop is intended to build skill and community. It is a practical starting point — a space to cut through the noise and explore what's actually useful for your work. If AI can free up time for you to focus on mission and community impact, that feels like appropriate use.

  • Small group (ideally capped at 10 people)
  • In-person, Rhode Island
  • Community-focused
Chiv Heng Illustrated Portrait

About Chiv

I bring 15 years of hands-on leadership at two charter public school networks, scaling operations, technology, and data systems during rapid growth. I learned what works for a small school of a few hundred but quickly breaks at 2,000 students—and which systems create distractions versus which actually help educators focus on students instead of spreadsheets.

I've lived the operational challenges you're facing. I know what it's like to inherit broken systems, to translate between tech teams and school leaders, to build something that actually works for the people using it.

Now I partner with mission-driven organizations to do the same work I did internally: implement systems, coach teams, and build lasting capacity.

What's the funny symbol in my name?

The symbol and my name represent an intersection of cultural heritage and my approach. My name, which is pronounced like "chew" (rather than "chive" or rhyming with "shiv"), is Cambodian. I am the first U.S.-born child of Cambodian refugees. I didn't love having a funny name growing up here, but came to embrace it as an adult.

The symbol is inspired by the unalome, a Buddhist symbol representing the path from chaos to enlightenment. It felt fitting for work that's ultimately about helping organizations move from reactive chaos to clarity through better systems and internal capacity.

Experience

Senior Director of Operations Blackstone Valley Prep 2015-2025
Senior Director of Operations & Information Systems Democracy Prep Public Schools 2010-2015
Director of Technology The Providence Plan 2006-2010

Education

MA, Urban Education Policy Brown University
BA, Political Science University of Rhode Island

Let's see if we're a fit.

I work with a small number of partners at a time so I can give each relationship the attention it deserves. If what you've read resonates, let's have a conversation.

Or reach out directly: hello@chivheng.consulting · LinkedIn

Let's Talk