Reisha L. Raney
President and Owner
Prior to forming Encyde, Ms. Raney was Director of Internet Protocol (IP) Solutions for Concert (AT&T/BT Joint Venture). She worked in New York and London, defining new eBusiness models and developing an IP launch process. Ms. Raney also worked in Hong Kong, Japan, and Singapore, where she developed Concert’s first formal Asia Pacific IP strategy. She joined Concert from AT&T, where she was a Data Networking Account Executive ranked in the top two of salespersons nationwide for three consecutive years. Prior to AT&T, Ms. Raney was an Estimating Engineer at Lucent Technologies.
Ms. Raney has a B.S. in Mathematics from Spelman College and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from Georgia Tech. She is currently a Harvard University Non-Resident Fellow at the W. E. B. Du Bois Research Institute at the Hutchins Center for African & African American Research, Faculty of Arts and Sciences, Harvard University under Prof. Henry Louis Gates, Jr. host of PBS Special “Finding Your Roots”. She is the founder of DaughterDialogues.com and the host of the Daughter Dialogues podcast.
As a descendant of President Thomas Jefferson's grandfather, Ms. Raney is a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution and the past Organizing Secretary of the Maryland State Society. She also sits on the Living Classrooms of the National Capital Region Board of Directors.
Awards and Recognition
Honored as a Rising Star, a select group of young professionals chosen for their professional achievements and philanthropic efforts, by Living Classrooms and Politico.
Named a FedFem Award Winner. The award salutes high-impact women-owned businesses and executives in government contracting.
Memberships
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National Association of Women Business Owners (NAWBO)
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Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Past Organizing Secretary, Maryland State Society
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Living Classrooms of the National Capital Region Member, Board of Directors
Ms. Raney has been featured in Politico, USA Today, The Washington Post, Washingtonian, The Japan Times and appeared on Cheddar News, WBAL TV 11 NBC News, NBC 4, and ABC7 News. Learn More.
A WAR WITHOUT END: THE DAR AND THE 40-YEAR FIGHT TO HONOR LENA FERGUSON
The Washington Post
In 2018, Reisha Raney, a distant relative of Thomas Jefferson’s aunt, became the first Black officer in the DAR’s Maryland branch and one of only four Black people to ever be named a state officer.
A graduate of Spelman College and research fellow at Harvard, Raney is looking into the DAR’s racial history with an emphasis on finding the stories of Black women.
“I think it’s important for me to collect these narratives to educate the public and society in general about how different the Daughters of the American Revolution is today compared to what they have been known for in the past,” Raney told USA Today. “It seems like they can’t shake that reputation no matter how many changes that they make and how many amends they make.”
YES, THERE ARE WOMEN OF COLOR IN THE DAR
Washingtonian
Reisha Raney had never listened to a podcast when she decided to start one last year. A mathematician who runs a systems-engineering company in Fort Washington, Raney has, as a side project, spent years researching women of color who have joined the Daughters of the American Revolution. She was drawn to this topic for one obvious reason: Raney herself is a Black member of the DAR.
To Raney, the backgrounds of people like her—which often involve disturbing relationships between enslavers and the enslaved—represent an important aspect of our past. So after a two-week crash course in podcasting, she launched Daughter Dialogues, which features her interviews with current DAR members...
'DAUGHTER DIALOGUES' PODCAST: SHARING STORIES OF BLACK WOMEN WITH COLONIAL DESCENDANTS
ABC WJLA- Washington DC
WASHINGTON (ABC7) — As we honor Black History Month, a new podcast is highlighting the fascinating stories of Black women who have traced their roots back to colonial descendants. It’s called “Daughter Dialogues,” hosted by Reisha Raney, who herself discovered she is directly related to Thomas Jefferson. She discussed this extremely unique project.
SHE'S BLACK AND A DIRECT DESCENDANT OF THOMAS JEFFERSON'S GRANDFATHER...OH, AND THERE'S MORE.
WTOP- Washington D.C.'s top news radio
Raney shared how in her Daughter Dialogues investigation, black women whose ancestors helped the United States earn its independence talk about patriotism and their stake in the founding of this nation. Raney talks about how these women tell untold histories of race in America and the importance of updating the narrative to tell a more honest truth about the founding of this country. These discussions are acutely relevant during the current national conversation on racial injustice.
LIVING CLASSROOMS/ POLITICO "RISING STARS" PHILANTHROPISTS
Politico
Rising Stars are honored for their personal and professional achievements and for their charitable efforts.
Reisha Raney. President & Founder, Encyde Corporation; B.S. in Mathematics, Spelman College; Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology; Ranked top 4% of all women owned businesses by the National Association of Women Business Owners; Descendant of Thomas Jefferson’s Grandfather; Has a boating license; Traveled to over 40 countries; Speaks Portuguese.
MARYLAND DAR NAMES FIRST BLACK OFFICER
USA Today
The Maryland State Society Daughters of the American Revolution elected its first black officer on Tuesday, the predominantly white organization announced.
Reisha Raney, a distant relative of Thomas Jefferson's aunt, is the first black officer in the DAR's Maryland branch and one of only four black people to ever be named a state officer in the organization...
AFRICAN-AMERICAN WOMAN TRACES ANCESTRY TO FAMILY OF
THOMAS JEFFERSON
The Japan Times
WASHINGTON – Reisha Raney’s role in Friday night’s Daughters of the American Revolution ceremony for the military was minor. She carried Virginia’s flag in a procession that walked down a carpeted aisle at Constitution Hall.
But for Raney, an African-American raised in Prince George’s County, Maryland, and a descendant of Thomas Jefferson’s nephew, it was one of the most pivotal moments in her life.
'THEY'RE UNTOLD STORIES': MARYLAND WOMEN ON THE IMPORTANTANCE OF YOUR ANCESTOR'S PAST
ABC DC7- Washington DC
WASHINGTON (7News) — We all spend a lot of time focused on our future... But what if looking back could be just as enlightening?
As we continue our coverage of Black History Month, 7News spoke to a woman who says learning more about her ancestors led her to surprises and unexpected friendships.
Reisha Raney is an entrepreneur in Ft. Washington, Maryland. Her systems engineering company is in the top four percent of women-owned businesses in the country. Raney has traveled the world, but nothing prepared her for the results of a deep dive into her family history.
'DAUGHTER DIALOGUES' PODCAST HIGHLIGHTS BLACK STORIES DATING BACK TO THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Cheddar
Cheddar TV News features the return of the Daughter Dialogues podcast, for season two, on Opening Bell.
Reisha Raney discusses the episode of Karen Batchelor, the first black member of the Daughters of the American Revolution with Kristen Scholer.
Cheddar is the leading post-cable news, media, and entertainment company, watched live by more than 6.5M people each month.
Cheddar broadcasts live on cheddar.com and on SlingTV, Hulu Live, YouTube TV, Philo, Twitter, Facebook Watch, Pluto, Xumo and more.
'CEREMONY' IN ANNAPOLIS HIGHLIGHTS CHANGING DAUGHTERS OF THE AMERICAN REVOLUTION
Capital Gazette
Typically the Maryland State Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution would hold a tea to celebrate the group’s newest officers.
Reisha Raney, a Prince George’s County resident and the first black officer for the state society, put a spin on the event by holding it at Ceremony Coffee Roasters near the Wiley H. Bates Legacy Center in Annapolis Saturday afternoon. The women — all descendants of people who helped win America’s independence — sampled coffee, drank coffee cocktails selected by the officers, and learned about the coffee family tree.
MARYLAND DAR INDUCTS FIRST BLACK OFFICER
WBAL TV 11 NBC NEWS
BALTIMORE —
Maryland's first black officer of the Daughters of the American Revolution was inducted Tuesday in Baltimore.
Reisha L. Raney, a direct descendent of Thomas Jefferson's grandfather, was installed as an officer in the Daughters of the American Revolution, the first-elected black officer in the history of the DAR's Maryland State Society.
DAUGHTER'S FAMILY PRIDE
The Washington Post
Reisha Raney’s role in Friday night’s Daughters of the American Revolution ceremony for the military was minor. She carried Virginia’s flag in a procession that walked a few steps down a carpeted aisle at Constitution Hall and then stood perfectly still.
But for Raney, an African American raised in Prince George’s County, it was one of the most pivotal moments in her life.
