EXCLUSIVE: Jennifer Goodyer on the Formation of WAVIT
Women in AV/IT (WAVIT) officially launched on Tuesday, Jan. 17, 2022. Founded by and for women, the group’s primary purpose is to strive for gender equality in the AV/IT industries and recruit and retain women in the industry.
We sat down with Jennifer Goodyer, CTS, one of the organization’s founders and sales manager at RTSales, to get an exclusive look at the new organization and its plans.
rAVe: Let’s start from the very beginning – tell us how WAVIT came to be.
JENNIFER GOODYER: As a group, we were looking for new ways to provide education and resources for the women and girls entering our industry. One of these ways was through Rosie Riveters, and after seeing the successes of that initiative and how the AV industry responded, we wanted to give back any more and create a group for women in AV and champions of women in AV to have easy access to these educational resources.
rAVe: What is WAVIT’s mission?
JG: WAVIT’s mission is to create a network that supports and empowers women in professional AV and IT through initiatives intended to both create industry awareness by introducing young girls to our industry with an emphasis on representation. We also aim to support women throughout their education and careers by striving for gender equality within our industry.
rAVe: Why are you personally passionate about the group’s mission?
JG: It’s great to have networking opportunities with women within our industry, but I’ve always wanted to see more support as far as education and creating a more clear career path for women and young girls who want to know how to enter our industry and also succeed. Joining the founding board of WAVIT really gives me the chance to help make a difference in the future of this industry.
rAVe: How does WAVIT differ from pre-existing women’s groups in the industry?
JG: We hope to partner with the wonderful and established women’s groups in our industry by providing the resources and tools women need to succeed in our industry—ones they may not even be aware they would want. We believe in the importance of mentorship, support, and educating women in a professional, yet approachable, environment.
rAVe: How can people get involved with Women in AV/IT?
JG: All individuals are welcome at WAVIT, and you can join or get more information on being involved at womeninavit.org.
rAVe: Is the organization exclusive to women or is it also open to men and non-binary people?
JG: We are an all-are-welcome organization. WAVIT is focused on creating equality and diverse representation, not excluding any particular group or persons.
rAVe: Anything else you’d like to add?
JG: We’re thrilled about the launch of WAVIT and excited to work with the industry to create more opportunities for women in ProAV and IT. Anyone interested in joining us on this journey, including organizations who want to partner with us or companies who would like to sponsor us, can reach out to Susan Wilhite at Susan.Wilhite@snapone.com for more information.
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