Meet Our New President – Stephanie Rosalind P. Caragos

Stephanie Rosalind P. Caragos is a trailblazing tech entrepreneur, social impact leader, and a force for inclusive innovation in the Philippine ICT industry. She is the Founding President and CEO of Syntactics, Inc., an IT solutions company she started in 2000 after graduating from Xavier University – Ateneo de Cagayan with a degree in Information Management. Even as a college student, she was already building accounting systems for SMEs. What began as a bold startup by young graduates has since grown into one of Mindanao’s most enduring and respected tech companies.

The original mission behind Syntactics was bold yet grounded: provide quality jobs for IT and computer science graduates within Cagayan de Oro, and help local businesses digitalize their operations through professional software and systems support. What started as a business software development firm has since grown into a full-service IT and digital marketing company offering web development, custom software, SEO, virtual staffing, and business process optimization. With a team of over 100 highly skilled professionals, Syntactics has become a trusted one-stop shop for digital solutions, serving both local and international clients.

Stephanie is also a passionate advocate for inclusive digital training. In 2008, she launched LetIThelp.org, a social entrepreneurship project aimed at equipping underprivileged IT graduates with job-ready digital skills. The initiative was born out of her achievement as a Young Social Entrepreneurs Initiative (YSEI) Fellow where she was selected as one of only 25 social entrepreneurs from hundreds of applicants across Southeast Asia, and awarded a grant after winning two rounds of competitive pitching. LetIThelp has trained over 500 individuals over the years, many of whom now thrive in Syntactics, BPO firms, international companies, or as freelancers.

In 2016, she was awarded the highly selective Eisenhower Fellowship, an international program that empowers transformative leaders working across public, private, and civil society sectors. Stephanie was selected after besting almost a thousand applicants and nominees from around the world, securing her place in an elite global network of change-makers. After her U.S. fellowship, with Pam Salon, they ideated, initially funded and co-founded Syntactics PINK, a women-centered tech advocacy that continues to run annual empowerment and mentorship programs. After her fellowship, she received the Douglas Dillon Award, the fellowship’s highest honor, presented to the fellow who best exemplifies the balance of private sector excellence and public service commitment.

Stephanie also serves as a national speaker and workshop facilitator for the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) under its Digital Cities program, helping LGUs across the Philippines attract ICT and BPO investments. Since 2011 to present, she serves as President of the CDO ICT Business Council and is a former President of the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP), a national organization of all ICT councils in the Philippines.

Stephanie is also a dedicated startup advocate and mentor, actively guiding emerging entrepreneurs as they build scalable, impact-driven ventures. Aside from founding Syntactics with classmate Wilfredo Kaamiño, Jr., she has personally mentored several startup founders and companies, including HCPS Enterprises of fellow Rotarian Pam Salon, Print Pro with Carl Pontillas, Jalou Batilong and, Pam Salon, alongside several other mentees and startups across various industries. Her work helps strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem in Mindanao, especially among youth, women, and regional innovators.

Fluent in Spanish, Stephanie was a Rotary International Youth Exchange Student to Argentina in 1994–1995, where she was awarded Most Outstanding Rotex in her batch in Argentina, bestowed to her by then District Rotex Chair, Duncan Chase. Rotary is in her DNA; her father, PDG Salvador Caragos, was District Governor for District 3870 and a member of the Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro, and her mother, Past President Linda Caragos, served as President of the Rotary Club of CDO East Urban and the Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro Spouses Club and Her sister Melanie RP Talimio is also her role model in Rotary leadership as a past president of the RC of Cagayan de Oro Rotary Anns spouse club. Stephanie assisted her father during his governorship as his trusted technology support.  Clearly, she grew up immersed in Rotary values, from childhood, to Interact, to Rotary Youth Exchange and now, as a committed Rotarian.

She officially joined Rotary in 2005, and has completed 13 years of active service. She served as Club Secretary of the Rotary Club of CDO East Urban, and later as Chair for Rotary Central District 3870 in both RY 2021–2022 and 2022–2023.

Now, as President of her home club for RY 2025–2026, Stephanie brings with her proven leadership, unwavering reliability, a passion for mentorship, deep respect for Rotary traditions, and an unshakable commitment to serving others. Her journey reflects not just the evolution of a tech CEO but the spirit of a Rotarian who leads by example and lives out “Service Above Self” every day.