Tampa Bay Tech, a leading nonprofit organization supporting the technology industry in the Tampa Bay region for the past 22 years, just announced the appointment of their seventh executive director, Meghan O’Keefe and newly elected Board Chair, Ande Johnson. With over 150 member companies representing the region’s 110,000+ tech employees – as well as thousands of students within the area’s colleges and universities – Tampa Bay Tech provides annual programming, networking and initiatives to support everyone working in our flourishing tech ecosystem.
“We are thrilled to have Meghan join the Tampa Bay Tech team as our new Executive Director,” said Ande Johnson Managing Director for Accenture, whom has been elected as the new Board Chair for TBT. “After a 6-month search, and over 200 applicants, we’ve found the perfect fit to accelerate the TBT mission of Radically Connecting our Tech Community.
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Bringing new leadership to Tampa Bay Tech
O’Keefe brings a wealth of experience in sales and marketing and a strong track record of community building to the organization. Previously, O’Keefe focused on business development at the St. Petersburg Economic Development Corporation, where she was instrumental in leading the charge in helping companies to relocate or expand to the city of St. Pete to aid in the advancement of the local economy.
“I am honored to be able to lead a legacy organization like Tampa Bay Tech,” said O’Keefe, “and am passionate about making TBT a true regional resource that people and companies in the Greater Tampa Bay area can utilize. With our 150 members representing over 110,000 area technology employees and a dedicated Executive Committee and Board of Directors we want to continue to Radically Connect our tech ecosystem by improving tech advancement, creating career development opportunities, and strengthening partnerships as Tampa Bay grows as a tech hub.”
Driving a new strategic direction for the nonprofit
As Executive Director, O’Keefe will be responsible for driving the strategic direction of Tampa Bay Tech and advancing its mission to support the growth and success of the tech industry in the region. O’Keefe will also work to strengthen partnerships with local businesses, organizations, and educational institutions, and will play a key role in cultivating a vibrant tech ecosystem in the whole Tampa Bay area.
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O’Keefe succeeds Interim Executive Director Virginia Lee, long-time TBT patron and Board of Trustees member, who assumed the role in August 2022- after the departure of Jill St. Thomas.
Synapse Summit coming soon
The organization already has a major event on the horizon: Tampa Bay Innovation Week. The kickoff for it is set for February 9. Hi Tampa Bay (HiTB for short) consists of community organizations across the region supporting tech and innovation. Each month, HiTB hosts monthly events in different locations to provide a platform for innovators of all stripes to connect. February’s event will be celebrating the kickoff of Tampa Bay Innovation week over drinks at the new Boulon Brasserie on Water Street.
The highlight of Tampa Bay Innovation week will be Synapse Summit on February 14th at Amalie Arena. During the kickoff party, please find a Synapse FL team member to get signed up as an attendee (more information on Synapse Summit is also included in the link below).
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