Ep. 91: Tamecka McKay, Chief Information Officer (IT Director) at the City of Fort Lauderdale

Tamecka McKay, Chief Information Officer (IT Director) at the City of Fort Lauderdale, joins host Cesar Jimenez to share how some of the most challenging moments of her career reshaped the way she leads. Within her first eight months on the job, she faced three back-to-back disasters, including a historic flood that shut down critical systems at City Hall. With an infrastructure modernization plan already in place, Tamecka was able to accelerate the roadmap and accomplish in roughly two years what she estimates would normally have taken five to seven. She also reflects on the shift from technical contributor to leader, why listening became one of her most important leadership skills, and her experience navigating imposter syndrome in a field where she rarely saw herself represented. Tamecka and Cesar also explore how the CIO role is evolving in the age of AI and why she believes technology leaders need to pay just as much attention to the people experiencing change as the technology driving it. She shares how “seek first to understand before being understood” guides the way she builds trust across an organization and why embracing what makes you different can become a strength rather than something to suppress. For the next generation of technology leaders, her message is to lean into those differences, listen before leading, and recognize the value of bringing your full perspective to the table.