CFP Board Appoints Barry Gersten as Head Technology Officer

CFP Board today announced the appointment of Barry S. Gersten as its Head Technology Officer. Gersten will oversee CFP Board's information technology and digital initiatives.

As Head Technology Officer, Gersten plays a critical role in shaping the technology vision and aligning information technology (IT) capabilities with the organization's mission, strategic objectives and operational needs. He also provides leadership in evaluating the utility of emerging technologies, such as artificial intelligence.

"In this era of rapid technological change, Barry's leadership will elevate our digital readiness and help us remain at the forefront," said CFP Board CEO Kevin R. Keller, CAE. "His decades of strategic IT leadership expertise will be instrumental as we continue to drive innovation, enhance collaboration and build resilient, adaptive systems that not only support CFP® professionals, certification candidates and the public, but also strengthen the digital experience for our education and CE partners."

Gersten joins CFP Board from his independent consulting practice. During his time as a consultant, he helped lead IT strategy and operations at various organizations, including CFP Board, conducting comprehensive assessments of IT systems, infrastructure and vendor services. Prior to this, Gersten served as the Chief Technology Officer at the American Nurses Association, where he led digital transformation initiatives, resulting in a 30% increase in operational efficiency and a 20% reduction in IT infrastructure costs. He also served as Vice President of Information Technology at The Aspen Institute and Chief Information Officer for the Washington DC Metropolitan Police Department.

"I'm proud to be part of CFP Board's culture that truly values continuous improvement and innovation," said Gersten. "It's exciting to be in a role where I can apply my experience to make a real impact - using technology to help move both the organization and the financial planning profession forward."

Gersten holds an M.S. in business administration from Johns Hopkins University and earned his bachelor's degree in information systems management from the University of Maryland.

Based in CFP Board's Washington, D.C., headquarters, Gersten will report to CFP Board CEO Kevin R. Keller, CAE. He starts his new role on June 16.