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Photo by Jay Paul
When Rohana Meade started off in tech 30 years ago, she wasn’t just the only woman in the room at times. She was one of the few females in the entire industry.
In 2011, after seven years as the chief information officer for a global company in Richmond, she got the idea for her own consulting business.
“I had a really great support system, not only in my husband but within the industry,” she says. “There’s a really strong network of tech professionals in Richmond. When I told them this is what I want to do, they were incredibly supportive. It takes a village, and we’re fortunate to have that here.”
Meade is the founder and CEO of Synergy Technical, where she manages 100 employees. Her firm has provided technology solutions for clients in all 50 states and 70 countries.
“I wanted to create a company people would want to work for, with a strong focus on community,” she says. “Our employees like working here because we are active and involved.”
With the company’s community engagement program, Synergy Technical guides employees toward helping organizations that aid underserved populations, including people with disabilities or children who are economically challenged. They currently partner with Soar 365 and the Boys and Girls Club, provide pro bono and discount work, and purchase VCU basketball tickets for underprivileged kids.
While more women are in the industry today than when she started, Meade says she’d like to see more female CEOs. “The tech industry has gotten much better, but we’re definitely not where we need to be from a leadership position.”
She says changing the career trajectory for young girls starts at home. “We teach boys to be bold and have courage, and we tell girls to be careful,” she says. “Females don’t need to be scared of having a career in technology or get discouraged if people tell them they can’t do something — because they certainly can.”
Meade’s daughter is pursuing a career in tech, with a major in digital design and a minor in computer science at Virginia Tech. “She has this rare combination of being a super-talented artist while being tech-minded,” Meade says. “But doing something she’s passionate about is most important.”
