We’re looking forward to introducing you to Megan Steckly. Check out our conversation below.
Megan, so good to connect and we’re excited to share your story and insights with our audience. There’s a ton to learn from your story, but let’s start with a warm up before we get into the heart of the interview. Have any recent moments made you laugh or feel proud?
As we entered 2025 with an ambitious goal to nearly double both our impact and operating budget, the milestone I was most looking forward to was reaching our one millionth community member served. It’s an incredible marker of progress—not just for Compudopt, but for the entire movement toward digital opportunity for all.
What I didn’t anticipate was how different this year would feel. Amid new challenges and shifting circumstances, I couldn’t be prouder to stand beside this incredible team of people who show up every day with grit, heart and an unwavering commitment to the communities we serve.
It’s easy to get caught up in the day-to-day execution, getting devices out the door, delivering training programs and connecting households to broadband. But hitting this milestone reminded me of all the people it took to get here: the 999,999 other individuals whose lives we’ve touched, the staff and volunteers who’ve contributed thousands of hours, the donors who believe in our mission and the board members who’ve stood by our side through thick and thin.
While we’re not in it for the accolades, I’ve learned that taking time to celebrate our wins together is one of the most meaningful parts of leadership.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
My name is Megan Steckly, and I believe in building a world where everyone, regardless of where they start, has the tools and opportunities to thrive. Much of the work across my career has been about making communities more connected and helping people access opportunity.
For the last decade, I’ve had the privilege of serving as the CEO of Compudopt, a national nonprofit working to close the digital divide. What began as a small Houston-based organization focused on providing free computers has grown into a movement, now operating in over 68 cities across 27 states and impacting more than 400,000 individuals nationwide this year alone.
This story, though, isn’t just about growth. It’s about what’s possible when you say yes to the big, audacious problems that others overlook. It’s about lifting up the brilliance and potential that already exists in every community, and making sure it has what it needs to flourish.
At Compudopt, we do more than distribute technology, we unlock possibility. And I get to lead the most extraordinary team of people, united by a belief that change is not only possible, it’s already happening.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What’s a moment that really shaped how you see the world?
Before joining Compudopt, I had the opportunity to study and work in Canada, Australia and Japan. Living abroad gave me a wider lens through which to view both problems and possibilities.
Those early international experiences taught me to think critically, challenge assumptions and approach each challenge with humility and curiosity. They also instilled a deep appreciation for cultural nuance and systemic complexity—skills I rely on every day as a CEO navigating growth, equity and impact at scale.
More than anything, they sparked in me a lifelong curiosity and a belief that bold, inclusive solutions are possible when we invite diverse voices to the table.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
When I stepped into leadership at Compudopt, we were full of vision but under-resourced. I felt the weight, and panic, of building something that mattered with very little to start with. Since then, I’ve led through Hurricane Harvey, the COVID-19 pandemic, and now, shifting national priorities that challenge our confidence to scale the work we do in the way we planned.
What I would tell my younger self is this: you are allowed to rest, to trust your team and to grow into the role over time. Strength is not in shouldering everything alone, it’s in building the kind of team, trust and mission that can weather any storm.
Every challenge we’ve faced has led to greater clarity, deeper impact and more conviction about why this work matters. I’d tell her: you’re on the right path. And it’s going to be bigger, harder and more rewarding than you can imagine.
Alright, so if you are open to it, let’s explore some philosophical questions that touch on your values and worldview. What’s a belief or project you’re committed to, no matter how long it takes?
At my core, I believe we all want the same things: to be seen, to belong and to know that our lives matter. That belief fuels everything I do.
Technology may seem like a practical solution, but it’s really a deeply human one. In a world that runs online, being without technology means being left out of opportunity, out of connection, out of community.
More than 14 million households in the U.S. lack access to the basic digital tools that so many of us take for granted. That’s not just an inconvenience, it’s an injustice. Because behind every disconnected home is a student trying to keep up in class, a parent searching for work, a grandparent wanting to FaceTime with their family.
This work isn’t just about devices or internet connection. It’s about creating a world where more people are seen, supported and empowered to participate fully. It’s about helping offer people lives of choice.
Digital opportunity is the vehicle, but what we’re really delivering is dignity, belonging and a more connected future for us all.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What is the story you hope people tell about you when you’re gone?
Working in the nonprofit space is incredibly fulfilling for me, especially when I get to experience firsthand the impact our mission is making in families’ lives. To date, we’ve served nearly one million individuals, and that’s always going to be something to be proud of.
But when all is said and done, I hope people remember me not just for the milestones or metrics, but for why they mattered to me. I hope they say I led with vision and clarity, but also that it was always based on starting and ending with the community, the people in mind. I hope they say that I held high expectations, but that working with me was a high reward, too. That I asked hard questions, took big risks and made people feel seen, safe and inspired to be part of something bigger and see their own potential.
My work at Compudopt has been one expression of that deeper calling—using digital equity as a means to create belonging, connection and opportunity. But even beyond that, I hope the legacy I leave is one of integrity, generosity and impact that continues to extend in quiet, lasting ways.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.Compudopt.org
- Instagram: @compudopt
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/compudopt/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/compudopt
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@compudoptvideo/videos
- Other: https://www.linkedin.com/in/megansteckly/
Image Credits
Compudopt
