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Women's History Month
In Conversation with
GINA MURPHY
A Techronicler interview with Gina Murphy, President & Chief Transformation Officer, Netrio.
Welcome to our Women’s History Month edition of Techronicler. Today, our guest is Gina Murphy, President and Chief Transformation Officer at Netrio, a managed services provider for mid-market enterprises. Gina’s path into technology didn’t start in a computer science lab; it started alongside her father, a TV repairman, where she learned early on that technology is fundamentally about fixing problems and helping people.
Throughout her executive career—including leadership roles at Navisite, Rackspace, and TriCore Solutions—Gina has championed the idea that technology is secondary to the business outcome it drives. In this interview, she discusses the complex challenge of scaling culture during acquisitions, why she views being the “only woman in the room” as a responsibility rather than a weight, and how she balances deep empathy with the directness needed to drive a business forward.
Techronicler: Thank you for joining us, Gina! Everyone has an origin story! What was the first piece of technology you ever broke, built, or fell in love with?
Gina Murphy:
My dad was a TV repairman when I was growing up, and I used to go with him on service calls. I loved watching him diagnose the problem, take something apart, and bring it back to life. To me it felt like magic, but it was really curiosity, problem solving, and persistence. That experience stuck with me. It taught me early on that technology is not just about machines. It is about fixing problems and helping people. That mindset has followed me throughout my career.
Techronicler: A lot of careers look like straight lines on LinkedIn. How was yours different? Was there a pivotal moment or ‘happy accident’ that actually steered you toward your current role or niche?
Gina Murphy:
My career path definitely wasn’t a straight line. The biggest turning point for me was realizing that technology isn’t really about technology – it’s about outcomes. Once I started focusing on the business problem first and the technology second, my career trajectory shifted. That perspective is what ultimately pulled me toward transformation and leadership roles.
Techronicler: What is the one problem or project that is taking up 80% of your brain space this month?
Gina Murphy:
Right now, it’s scaling. How do you grow quickly while still protecting the culture, the customer experience, and the operational discipline that got you there in the first place? A big part of that for us right now is bringing four companies on to one platform and aligning people, process, and technology so we can truly operate as one team. Growth is exciting, but it also forces you to rethink processes, leadership structures, and how technology enables the business. Getting that balance right takes a lot of thought.
Techronicler: Many women still find themselves as the ‘Only’ (only woman, only WOC) in the room. When that happens now, how do you use that visibility to your advantage rather than letting it be a weight?
Gina Murphy:
Early in my career I was very aware when I was the only woman in the room. But instead of seeing it as a weight, I try to see it as a responsibility. It means I have an opportunity to show up prepared, contribute a different perspective, and help move the conversation toward the right decision. I also try to change that dynamic over time by mentoring and supporting other women coming up in technology and leadership. The real goal is not just being comfortable as the only one in the room. It is making sure the next generation walks into rooms where that is no longer the case.
Techronicler: Are women in leadership still penalized for being too direct or ‘sharp-elbowed’? Have you ever had to consciously unlearn the habit of being ‘too nice’ or ‘accommodating’ to get a project across the line?
Gina Murphy:
I once had a teammate describe me as a “koala bear with a mean right hook,” and honestly that description probably sums me up pretty well. I care deeply about people, I’m nurturing by nature, and I wear my heart on my sleeve. At the same time, I’m very direct and not afraid to push when something needs to get done or a tough decision must be made.
I’ve been incredibly fortunate to work with our CEO, Mark Clayman, for the past 26 years. He has always encouraged authenticity, coached me through the hard moments, and created an environment where I can be fully myself as a leader. That kind of support makes a huge difference because it allows you to lead with both empathy and conviction.
Techronicler: Tell us about a time you had to make a deeply unpopular technical decision that turned out to be the right call. How did you handle the pushback?
Gina Murphy:
The toughest decisions usually come down to simplifying something people have become comfortable with. I’ve had to work with teams to retire legacy systems or approaches that felt familiar but were holding the business back. Those moments really require collaboration. You have to bring people into the conversation, listen to their concerns, and make sure everyone understands the bigger goal we are working toward. The key is transparency. Explain the why, show the long-term benefit, and stay consistent. People may not love the decision in the moment, but when they feel heard and understand the path forward, they respect the clarity and the collaborative process.
Techronicler: If you were given $10M to start a company today in a niche outside of your current field, what problem would you solve?
Gina Murphy:
I would focus on improving access to healthcare and accelerating medical research. There are incredible advancements happening in medicine, but the system that connects patients, data, treatments, and clinical trials is still disjointed and fragmented.
This has become deeply personal for me watching someone very close to me fight leukemia. You see the brilliance of modern medicine, but you also see how hard it can be for patients and families to find the right trials and treatments quickly. Important research is happening all over the world, yet the information is often difficult to access or connect. Making clinical trial data and research more globally accessible could help patients qualify for treatments faster, and that speed can quite literally save lives. Even small breakthroughs in this space can mean more time and better outcomes for people and their families.
“The real goal is not just being comfortable as the only one in the room. It is making sure the next generation walks into rooms where that is no longer the case.”
Gina Murphy’s perspective on leadership is both incredibly grounded and deeply strategic. Her self-described leadership style—”a koala bear with a mean right hook”—perfectly illustrates that empathy and conviction are not mutually exclusive; in fact, the most effective leaders require both.
As we celebrate Women’s History Month, Gina’s commitment to mentoring the next generation of women in tech is exactly the kind of structural support the industry needs. Thank you, Gina, for your candor and your vision.
Gina Murphy is president and chief transformation officer of Netrio, a managed services provider for mid-market enterprises. She leads strategic initiatives, post-acquisition integration and delivery of cloud, cybersecurity and IT solutions that help customers grow, cut costs, and reduce risk. Murphy brings more than 20 years of technology services leadership, including as president and chief transformation officer at Navisite, where she integrated eight acquisitions and refined go-to-market strategy. She has held executive roles at Rackspace, TriCore Solutions, Surebridge and Lightbridge, and advocates for women in tech.