ParentSquare Appoints New Product and Operations Leaders
March 23, 2026, marks a significant day for ParentSquare as the company has announced the strategic appointments of Joel Hames as the Senior Vice President of Product and Anni Baghdasarian as the Vice President of Strategic Operations. This move comes as ParentSquare continues to solidify its position as a leading platform in school-home engagement for K-12 districts across the United States.
Advancements in Leadership
With over three decades of experience in the education sector, Joel Hames steps into his new role, ready to lead the product organization through a period of robust innovation and strategy development. His extensive background includes 15 years in prominent edtech companies like Subject, Paper, Schoology, and PowerSchool, providing him with insights that arecritical to understanding the unique needs of school districts. Hames’s experience as an instructional technology director allows him to ground the product philosophy in actual school experiences and outcomes.
In his statement, Hames expressed enthusiasm for his new position, stating, "At ParentSquare, product excellence starts with a deep understanding of how schools and families actually work. I'm excited to join a company that's setting the standard for meaningful, inclusive engagement and help continue raising the bar for the experience we deliver to districts, schools, and families."
Joining Hames, Anni Baghdasarian brings over 17 years of leadership experience in the educational technology landscape. Her expertise spans key areas such as content management systems, payment integrations, and district-wide communications, making her an invaluable asset to ParentSquare. Prior to her association with ParentSquare, Baghdasarian was the President and Chief Operating Officer at Edlio, from where she gathered a wealth of insights that will benefit her in her new role.
Baghdasarian highlighted the importance of trust in district partnerships, saying, "Trust is foundational in district partnerships, and ParentSquare has earned it. I'm looking forward to supporting districts' long-term needs as the platform continues to evolve."
Supporting School Districts at Scale
As ParentSquare gears up to meet the growing demands of school districts, CEO and co-founder Sohit Wadhwa emphasized that these leadership appointments are reflective of the scale and complexity that districts expect from ParentSquare. He stated, "Joel's product leadership and Anni's operational experience support delivery at scale for a platform serving millions of students." This strategy aims to ensure streamlined operations while maintaining high standards of service.
Both Hames and Baghdasarian are set to begin their new roles immediately and will be instrumental in shaping the future direction of ParentSquare.
About ParentSquare
Founded in 2011 in Santa Barbara, California, ParentSquare stands at the forefront of school-home engagement technology, serving over 22 million students nationwide. Its unique platform consolidates various communication tools into one user-friendly system, ensuring personalized messaging and information delivery to every family within the K-12 system. With features such as two-way translation in over 190 languages and AI enhancements, ParentSquare actively empowers districts to engage all families, no matter their background or technology comfort level.
Recognized for innovation and growth, ParentSquare continues to be a leader in the space, advocating for district communication needs and enhancing student-familial involvement. To learn more about ParentSquare and its offerings, visit
parentsquare.com.