More Than Technology
July 30, 2026
Ron Boston
Audiovisual Manager
Ron Boston is the Audiovisual Manager at St. Mark's School. Since joining the School in 2016, he has overseen the technology that supports teaching, learning, performances, and community events across campus, from classrooms and conferences to livestreams and major school celebrations. Working closely with faculty, staff, and student technology prefects, Ron helps create the conditions for meaningful experiences to unfold behind the scenes. In this edition of Marks & Matters, he reflects on the relationships that have defined his decade at St. Mark's, the students who have inspired him most, and why the greatest impact of his work has little to do with technology.
If you've attended Prize Day, a school meeting, Groton Night, a concert, or even logged into an important Zoom meeting at St. Mark's, chances are you've benefited from Ron Boston's work.
As the School's Audiovisual Manager, Ron is responsible for making sure the technology behind many of campus's biggest moments simply works. From livestreams and sound systems to presentations and lighting, his work often goes unnoticed precisely because everything runs seamlessly.
But ask Ron what matters most about his job, and he won't talk about cameras, microphones, or projectors.
He'll talk about students.
"I try to connect and make sure I see them and speak to them every day," he says. "I'm just trying to be a light. Trying to bring some levity throughout the day. The students have no idea how gratifying those interactions are for me."
This year marked Ron's tenth anniversary at St. Mark's. Recruited from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Ron arrived with deep technical expertise. Over the past decade, however, he's become something much more than the person behind the AV booth.
He's become a familiar, encouraging presence across campus.
"I think my energy and my personality connect well with students," he says. "I always make it a point to engage with them."
That student-centered mindset is especially evident in the work few people ever see.
During the weeks leading up to Prize Day, Ron describes life as "blitz mode." While the community prepares to celebrate the end of the academic year, he's coordinating livestreams, working with outside production vendors, testing equipment, scheduling events, and ensuring every ceremony, concert, and presentation is ready before the first guest arrives.
It's a level of preparation most people never witness.
"I think people are becoming more aware of all the planning and preparation that goes into an event," Ron explains. "When everyone is prepared, I'm able to test everything ahead of time and help make sure their event goes seamlessly."
Whether it's a trustee meeting in Everett, a Gray Colloquium presentation, Umoja programming, or a simple classroom presentation, Ron believes success comes long before anyone steps up to the microphone.
His role extends far beyond technical support.
Over the years, Ron has become a mentor to students interested in creative technology, helping them explore everything from audiovisual production to DJ equipment. He's worked closely with student monitors who help produce assemblies and Groton Night, guiding them through both the technical and creative sides of live production.
Watching students grow in confidence has become one of the most rewarding parts of his work.
"The last handful of years, working with the monitors has been really gratifying," he says. "Helping them plan productions, preparing for assemblies every week, seeing them become more confident... that's incredibly meaningful."
For Ron, those relationships are what define his experience at St. Mark's.
One memory still stands out.
After graduating, a student presented him with a handwritten card thanking him not just for the work he did, but for the energy, kindness, and positivity he brought to campus each day.
Today, those cards fill an entire wall in his office.
"They show appreciation for the effort I put in beyond just the scope of my job description," he says.
That's exactly how Ron hopes students remember him.
"I hope they remember that I did everything I could, even beyond the technology, to enhance their experience here."
It's an approach that reflects something larger about life at St. Mark's.
While some members of the community teach in classrooms, coach on athletic fields, or advise students in the dorms, others shape the student experience in quieter ways. They prepare spaces before anyone arrives, solve problems before anyone notices, and create the conditions that allow moments of learning, celebration, and connection to unfold.
Ron embraces that responsibility every day.
As he looks ahead, he's excited about opportunities to improve campus technology and continue supporting new ideas and events. But what motivates him isn't simply new equipment or new projects.
"As long as I feel like my contribution is valued," he says, "I'll continue to bring my energy, my expertise, and my experience to St. Mark's."
Ask him to describe St. Mark's in just three words, and after a moment's thought, his answer is simple:
Spirit. Energy. Unpredictable.
For someone whose work often happens behind the scenes, those three words seem fitting.