# Berj Akian

> Berj Akian is the founder and CEO of ClassLink, an education identity and access management company established in 1998 after he helped a local school with its technology plan. Previously a CPA at Arthur Andersen and a professional at Technology Crossover Ventures, he later pursued graduate studies in education and cognitive science. His community work includes co-founding the Cybersecurity Coalition for Education and developing the MPACT fellowship with Tonie Snell. CoSN recognized him with its 2026 Hurley Private Sector Champion Award.

- **Role:** Founder & CEO at ClassLink
- **Organizations:** ClassLink, Cybersecurity Coalition for Education, Updraft EdTech Group, Technology Crossover Ventures (former), Arthur Andersen (former)
- **Education:** Bachelor of Business Administration in Public Accounting, cum laude, Baruch College, Master of Education in Instructional Design and Technology, American College of Education, Master of Philosophy in Cognitive Science and Learning Analytics, Teachers College, Columbia University, Ph.D. in Cognitive Science in Education, Teachers College, Columbia University
- **Known for:** Founded and continues to lead ClassLink., Earned a Ph.D. in Cognitive Science in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University., Co-founded the Cybersecurity Coalition for Education.

## Career timeline

- **Before 1998** — Worked as a CPA at Arthur Andersen, then at Technology Crossover Ventures; exact employment dates are not established.
- **1998** — Founded ClassLink after helping a local school with its technology plan.
- **2004** — Co-presented Student Technology Usage Viewed through Different Data Lenses at the NCES summer data conference.
- **2015** — Supported the IMS Global K-12 Open EdTech Ecosystem initiative.
- **2022** — ClassLink described MPACT, the paid fellowship developed with Tonie Snell.
- **2023** — The Cybersecurity Coalition for Education launched its rubric and evaluator pathway.
- **2026** — Received CoSN’s Hurley Private Sector Champion Award; supported the transition of rubric leadership to CoSN.

## Achievements

- Founded and continues to lead ClassLink.
- Earned a Ph.D. in Cognitive Science in Education from Teachers College, Columbia University.
- Co-founded the Cybersecurity Coalition for Education.
- Co-developed the MPACT professional fellowship with Tonie Snell.
- Received CoSN’s 2026 Hurley Private Sector Champion Award.

## Latest updates

- **2026-10** — Quoted praising thoughtful education leadership in Westminster School District’s October 7 article about the 2026 EdTech All-Stars.
- **2026-08** — ClassLink and NJASA announced NJ Visionary Award winners following their annual Seaside Celebration in Asbury Park.
- **2026-06** — Supported CoSN’s announced assumption of leadership of the cybersecurity rubric and evaluator program.
- **2026-04** — Received the CoSN Hurley Private Sector Champion Award in Chicago on April 13.

## Links

- Website: https://www.classlink.com/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/berjakian
- Twitter/X: https://twitter.com/BerjAkian

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Profile page: https://yespress.io/berj-akian
Published by YesPress — https://yespress.io
Last updated: 2026-10-23