Greenwich Schools Hires Town Employee To Be Chief Operating Officer

GREENWICH, CT —Greenwich Public Schools Superintendent Dr. Toni Jones announced on Tuesday the appointment of Blaize Levitan as chief operating officer, effective Aug. 29. Levitan replaces Sean O’Keefe, who recently left the school district.

Levitan will serve as the district’s leader in finance and facilities and share responsibility with the deputy superintendent, overseeing food services, transportation, school residency and school safety and security.

"I am incredibly excited to be joining Dr. Jones and Greenwich Public Schools, which I believe to be the premier public school system in the state of Connecticut," Levitan said in a news release. "Public education is such an essential public service and I look forward to continuing my work for the Greenwich community in this important capacity. This is an exciting time to be part of GPS, and I am eager to share my financial and operational perspectives to help maximize resources in providing world-class education."

Jones said Levitan has been a "proud and passionate administrator" for the town.

"We are thrilled to have him join us at Greenwich Public Schools," Jones said in a news release. "He has proven to be a dynamic leader, a collaborative team member, and an effective communicator."

Levitan has been with the town of Greenwich for the past seven years. Working in the Office of the First Selectman from 2017 through 2020 as a senior management analyst, he played a key role in the development and management of the annual town operating and capital budgets, the school district said in a news release.

Most recently, as the Department of Parks and Recreation’s assistant director for the past two years, he developed, presented and implemented the annual operating and capital budgets and was directly responsible for the business operations and customer service teams.

As an emergency management specialist and founding member of the University of Connecticut’s Office of Emergency Management from 2014 through 2017, Levitan helped develop the first-ever university-wide emergency operations plan. His career in public service began in 2009 as a supervisor for his hometown Ellington Public Schools.

Levitan holds a bachelor’s degree in political science and a master’s degree in public administration, with a certificate of public financial management from the University of Connecticut. He is currently a council member of the independent state board, the Connecticut Commuter Rail Council, which advocates for commuters on railroad lines throughout the state, monitoring performance, reviewing projects and incorporating ridership feedback.

From 2007 through 2017, Levitan was a state certified firefighter and advisor to the cadet program for the Ellington Volunteer Fire Department.