Built on Leadership. Driven by Purpose.
Katalyst was founded on a simple belief: that technology should work for people — not the other way around. That belief comes from decades of lived experience at the intersection of leadership, education, and innovation.
At a glance
- Former role
- Superintendent, William Penn School District, Philadelphia PA
- Expertise
- Enterprise technology, AI strategy, organizational transformation
- Focus
- Technology as an equalizer — not a barrier
- Mission
- Empowering businesses through precision technology
Jane Harbert
Founder & Principal Consultant
Jane Harbert is not a typical technology consultant. Before founding Katalyst, she served as Superintendent of the William Penn School District in Philadelphia, PA — one of the most complex and resource-constrained districts in the region. In that role, she led large-scale organizational transformation, managed hundreds of millions of dollars in operational budgets, and oversaw technology modernization initiatives that touched thousands of students, teachers, and staff.
What she discovered in that work changed her perspective on technology forever. The gap between what technology could do and what most organizations actually experienced wasn't a technical problem — it was a leadership problem. Systems were implemented without strategy. Tools were deployed without training. Vendors were selected without accountability. And the people who needed technology most were left behind.
Jane founded Katalyst to close that gap. She brings the same discipline, accountability, and people-first mindset that defined her career in public service to every client engagement. Whether she's designing a cloud architecture, advising a CEO on their technology roadmap, or helping a small business owner understand their first network setup — she approaches every problem with the same rigor and care.
Her background in education also shapes Katalyst's broader mission. The Katalyst Education Initiative — a program she founded alongside the consulting practice — is dedicated to building technology literacy among small business owners and community organizations who have historically been underserved by the technology industry.
Technology That Empowers
Katalyst exists to make precision-engineered technology accessible to every organization — regardless of size, budget, or technical sophistication. We believe that the same quality of technology leadership available to Fortune 500 companies should be available to the small business owner, the nonprofit director, and the community organization trying to do more with less.
Precision over speed
We take the time to understand your environment before we recommend a solution. Fast and wrong is worse than thoughtful and right.
Accountability at every level
We own our work. If something isn't right, we fix it. No finger-pointing, no excuses — just results.
Education as empowerment
We don't just solve problems — we help you understand them. An informed client makes better decisions and builds stronger organizations.
Technology for people
Every system we build, every strategy we develop, every recommendation we make starts with one question: how does this serve the people who will use it?
Ready to work with us?
Whether you need strategic technology leadership or hands-on technical support — Katalyst is ready to help.