To Our Community,
Earlier this year, PlayVS encountered significant operational and financial challenges that required the company to act quickly. In response, PlayVS substantially reduced its costs, streamlined its operations, and pursued new financing to stabilize the business.
We are happy to announce that as of last week PlayVS is now reorganized, fully financed, and ready to serve our students, coaches and schools for the long term. With this financing we will continue to invest responsibly in our platform, curriculum, partnerships, and competitions for middle school through college.
As part of our reorganization we are excited to announce a newly formed leadership team with Jonathan Boswell assuming the role of Chief Executive Officer, Juanita Russell as Chief Financial Officer, and Charles O’Donnell as Chief Revenue Officer.
The new leadership team is focused on building a sustainable platform for our community. In order to provide the reliable technology, league operations, and customer support you expect, the no-cost model simply was not sustainable and why we have now restored competition fees to our scholastic programs. We are also working closely with state associations and have refocused on the core competitive experience where we provide the most value. Ultimately, these shifts provide for the long-term future of PlayVS so we can create amazing competitions for you and your school for years to come.
Meet Our New Leadership Team
Fully committed to building a durable future for the company, this group has the complementary strengths needed to guide PlayVS into its next stage. Our new leadership team brings deep experience across technology, education, finance, operations, partnerships, and revenue growth along with a shared understanding of the communities PlayVS serves.
Jonathan Boswell, Chief Executive Officer
Boswell steps into the CEO role after nearly seven years at PlayVS, most recently serving as Chief Technology Officer since January 2025 and previously leading the company’s engineering, product, and operations organizations. He is a proven technology leader with 23 years of experience and three successful exits as an executive. Before PlayVS, Boswell served as CTO of education technology company ArborBridge, where he designed and built its global online SAT and ACT tutoring platform and oversaw the acquisition of College Planner Pro. ArborBridge was later acquired in 2021.
Juanita Russell, Chief Financial Officer
Russell, who joined PlayVS as Chief Financial Officer in January 2026, will continue overseeing accounting, financial operations, treasury management, and investor relations. She brings more than 25 years of financial and operational experience building the infrastructure needed to support growth, scale, and long-term value creation. Before joining PlayVS, Russell served as CFO of Common Securitization Solutions, a joint venture between Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, and as CFO of MERSCORP Holdings, where she led the company’s financial strategy through its acquisition by Intercontinental Exchange.
Charles O’Donnell, Chief Revenue Officer
O’Donnell has been appointed Chief Revenue Officer after most recently serving as Head of Partnerships at PlayVS. He joined the company in April 2025 through the acquisition of Playfly Sports’ esports division, where he had led the esports business since 2020. At PlayVS, O’Donnell has helped lead collegiate esports strategy, operations, and partnerships, including a complete refresh of the collegiate brand and the implementation of scalable systems supporting revenue growth and efficiency. His earlier leadership experience spans sports, entertainment, and technology, including roles with Fanalytical, Georgia Tech Athletics, the Philadelphia Flyers, and APA Talent and Literary Agency.
Looking ahead, our goal is to evolve PlayVS beyond just a competition platform. We want to use gaming as a tool to empower our students throughout their entire education journey. By connecting the competitions they love with curriculum, college opportunities, and career readiness, we can help our students translate their passion for gaming into lasting, real-world skills and future pathways.
We recognize that navigating the recent changes has required a lot of flexibility from you and your programs. We truly appreciate the work you put in every day to support scholastic esports. Our focus now is entirely on the road ahead and delivering the reliable experience that you and your students deserve.
– The PlayVS Team
