Brianna Bowling to be Keynote Speaker at Women & Math Day October 18th

The College of Southern Maryland is pleased to present Brianna Bowling, the primary owner and founder of La Plata, MD based Zekiah Technologies, as the keynote speaker at the Women & Math Day at the College of Southern Maryland on October 18, 2008.

The Women & Math Day is a day dedicated to teaching high school women about careers in the math and technology fields. There will be hands-on workshops, door prizes and a career panel.

Zekiah Technologies Associates Meredith Mayes and Jennie Eustace will each be teaching a workshop. Jennie will be teaching the concepts of software programming and Meredith will be teaching GIS concepts.

Zekiah is a local software engineering company with nearly 30 employees. They have completed technical projects for the Department of Homeland Security, Counter-Drug initiatives, and the Navy. As the owner, Ms. Bowling actively recruits women, and, as a result, 60% of the employees are female in technical or management positions. This is an unusually high percentage of women in a high-tech field that traditionally has low numbers of women. As a mother of three children, Ms. Bowling recognizes the myriad of demands placed on working women who also support the emotional needs of their family. In recognition of this, she attempts to make it easier for women to work part-time with benefits and flexible work hours for her full-time staff.

She is a graduate of the Charles County public schools system, attending Walter J. Mitchell Elementary, Milton Somers Middle and La Plata High School. She continued her education at Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland.

Brianna Bowling received the Pioneer Award for Women Advancement at the 2005 Charles County Women’s Fair. Brianna has committed herself to multiple activities that promote women professionally and personally in the workplace and with their family. Volunteering is an important part of Brianna’s life and she has either initiated or revitalized many programs that help support women in our community.

Since 1999, Ms. Bowling has volunteered with the Charles County 4-H program. She began as the coordinator of the Volunteer Association and has assisted in creating agendas, group goals and a fundraising program. In addition to her role within the Volunteer Association, Ms. Bowling is also the club leader for the Hot Shots 4-H Club. Ms. Bowling has served the 4-H program in special events over the last few years such as public speaking judge and a Charles County fair building supervisor.

Ms. Bowling is a charter member of DCWebWomen, a professional organization that promotes women in technology and provides opportunities to Washington area women. She played a leadership role for 6 years and now serves on the Executive Board. Other organizations which have benefited from Ms. Bowling’s volunteer time include the Festival of Trees, Hughesville and Southern Charles Little League, Pets on Wheels, Charles County Passport to History Commission, Charles County Tech Council, the Gabriel Project, Walter J. Mitchell Elementary, President of the Charles County Extension Advisory Council, Blessed Lambs Preschool board, Southern Maryland Women’s League board, and St. Ignatius Church. She also currently coaches U7 coed soccer for the La Plata Youth Soccer.