Gravyty Strengthens AI Strategy with New Product and Marketing Leadership as the higher education technology company appoints new executives to accelerate the development and adoption of its AI-powered engagement platform for colleges and universities.

Gravyty has named Margaret Onisick Lawless as Chief Product and Technology Officer (CPTO) and Brandon Stec as Senior Vice President of Marketing, expanding its executive leadership team as institutions increasingly invest in artificial intelligence to improve student engagement, fundraising, alumni relations, and operational efficiency.

The appointments come at a time when higher education organizations are seeking technology platforms that can automate administrative tasks, personalize communications, and strengthen relationships throughout the student lifecycle. By adding experienced leaders in product development and go-to-market strategy, Gravyty aims to advance its unified AI platform designed for student success, institutional advancement, athletics, and alumni engagement.

Lawless brings more than 25 years of experience leading product and technology organizations across education and mission-driven sectors. Prior to joining Gravyty, she served as Chief Product and Technology Officer at TeachTown, overseeing engineering, information technology, curriculum, product management, marketing, and customer support. Her previous leadership roles at Blackbaud, Intelerad, and Relias Learning focused on scaling software platforms, modernizing product portfolios, and improving customer experiences.

In her new role, Lawless will lead Gravyty’s product vision and technology strategy, overseeing the development of AI-powered solutions that help educational institutions strengthen engagement across the entire education lifecycle. Her responsibilities include aligning product innovation with customer needs while ensuring institutions maximize the value of their technology investments.

According to Lawless, colleges and universities are navigating significant operational and financial challenges that are increasing demand for intelligent technologies capable of improving productivity, resource allocation, and stakeholder engagement.

Stec joins the company with more than a decade of marketing leadership experience across education technology, nonprofit software, and professional sports. Most recently, he held senior marketing roles at Frontline Education, supporting digital transformation initiatives for K–12 institutions. Earlier in his career, he led digital marketing and strategic initiatives for Community Brands’ education and nonprofit portfolio.

As Senior Vice President of Marketing, Stec will oversee Gravyty’s global marketing strategy, brand development, demand generation, communications, and go-to-market execution. The company said his focus will be on expanding market awareness while helping educational institutions understand how AI can improve engagement throughout the student journey.

The leadership appointments reflect a broader trend across the education technology market, where AI is increasingly being deployed to automate repetitive administrative work, improve fundraising effectiveness, personalize student communications, and strengthen alumni relationships.

Higher education institutions continue to face mounting pressure from enrollment fluctuations, budget constraints, and evolving student expectations. AI-powered engagement platforms are emerging as strategic tools that enable institutions to analyze large volumes of data, personalize interactions, and improve operational efficiency without significantly increasing staffing requirements.

According to Gartner, artificial intelligence is becoming a key investment area for organizations seeking to enhance customer and constituent engagement through automation and predictive analytics. IDC also projects continued growth in AI spending as institutions across industries prioritize intelligent technologies that improve decision-making and operational performance.

Within higher education, these technologies are being applied across multiple functions, including enrollment management, advancement, fundraising, donor engagement, alumni communications, student success initiatives, and athletic development programs. By consolidating these capabilities into a unified AI platform, vendors aim to reduce technology fragmentation while improving institutional outcomes.

Gravyty’s latest executive appointments also highlight the growing importance of integrating product development with go-to-market execution. As enterprise software providers increasingly compete on customer experience and measurable business outcomes, aligning technology innovation with marketing strategy has become a key competitive differentiator.

The company said the new leadership team will support its long-term strategy of delivering purpose-built AI that enables more personalized experiences while helping institutions improve efficiency across every stage of the education lifecycle.

For colleges and universities, AI-powered engagement platforms are evolving beyond simple communication tools into comprehensive relationship management systems capable of supporting students, alumni, donors, and institutional stakeholders through personalized, data-driven interactions.

As the education technology market continues embracing artificial intelligence, companies that combine advanced AI capabilities with deep sector expertise are expected to play a growing role in helping institutions modernize engagement strategies while addressing ongoing operational challenges.

Top Insights

  • Gravyty has appointed Margaret Onisick Lawless as Chief Product and Technology Officer and Brandon Stec as Senior Vice President of Marketing to accelerate its AI platform strategy.
  • The company aims to strengthen AI-powered engagement across student success, fundraising, alumni relations, athletics, and institutional advancement through unified technology.
  • Growing adoption of AI in higher education is driving demand for platforms that automate operations, personalize engagement, and improve institutional efficiency.
  • The appointments align product innovation and go-to-market strategy as education technology providers compete to deliver measurable outcomes through AI-powered engagement solutions.

Have a story or business inquiry? Contact our MartechEdition team today.