AVIXA is hosting this free webinar on September 5: Green AV- Challenges and Solutions for the Complete Product Life Cycle and it got me wondering, what else is out there around sustainability in the industry? Are you attending something coming up?  Have you gotten an email recently about a session on sustainability in the industry? Share here any upcoming sessions so this community can take advantage of the variety of content coming out.

Tomorrow is International Women's Day and the AVIXA Women's Council is already hosting in-person events and a big virtual event around this year's theme of #EmbraceEquity.  There is a big question left to answer, what does equity look like in the AV Industry?   I found some rather enlightening posts in the Xchange on topics closely related to women in AV and where challenges still exist and where they are being overcome: Pro-AV are Women Fully Welcome? The Exodus of Senior Level Women From the Workforce 19 Organizations Advancing Women in Tech What do you think or what are you reading that would help make the AV industry more equitable to women?   @Tammy Fuqua @Alissa Haksar @Diana Quintero @Ericka Shumpert @Monisha Devaiah  - want to help get the conversation started and tag someone else to keep it going?

Tomorrow is International Women's Day and the AVIXA Women's Council is already hosting in-person events and a big virtual event around this year's theme of #EmbraceEquity.  There is a big question left to answer, what does equity look like in the AV Industry?   I found some rather enlightening posts in the Xchange on topics closely related to women in AV and where challenges still exist and where they are being overcome: Pro-AV are Women Fully Welcome? The Exodus of Senior Level Women From the Workforce 19 Organizations Advancing Women in Tech What do you think or what are you reading that would help make the AV industry more equitable to women?

In December 2023 the Women's Council, with support from our chairs @Diana Quintero and @Tammy Fuqua , discussed the recent article from AVIXA: Pro AV: Are Women Fully Welcome?.  That study was created from data submitted to the AVIXA Salary Survey.  That's where we need your help.  The 2023 Salary Survey is now open and AVIXA is seeking a variety of participants to respond.   Women's Council members are in the unique position of both providing valuable survey data and in turn helping AVIXA bring light to where women stand in the Pro AV Industry.  I hope you'll take the time to fill out the survey, learn more about the AVIXA Salary Survey right here in the Xchange.

AVIXA Women's Council Members, March 8, 2023 is International Women's Day and the AVIXA Women's Council wants to celebrate this year's theme #EmbraceEquity.  As we get everything set, we need support from council members in the following ways: 1. We need 5-10 AVIXA Women's Council members willing to take video of themselves for this event.  Interested in learning more?  Email me directly at mkuhman@avixa.org or reach out to me here in the Xchange. 2. Take an #EmbraceEquity picture and send it to AVIXA.  AVIXA wants to highlight our events leading up to the day.  Please take a picture of you doing the #EmbraceEquity pose, see the pose below, and again email it to mkuhman@avixa.org. This is just the start; in February we will have more details on how to get involved!

Membership Committee, Thank you to those that were able to join us this week for our meeting.  If you want to revisit the discussion or were unable to attend the meeting, you can access the recording here. Here are our meeting notes and action item: Welcome New Committee Members The Committee welcomed our new members during this call Scheduling future committee meetings The consensus for the members on the call was to host our meetings the second Tuesday of every month at 3:00 pm UTC/9:00 am ET.  If you were unable to make the call and would like to add input on the day of the week and time of the meeting, please email myself and our chair Scott Norder at scott@rgb.com.  Current Meeting Schedule: Topic: Membership Committee Monthly Meeting Time:   Every month on the Second Tue, until Dec 12, 2023, 11 occurrence(s) Membership Committee Action Item: Review, edit or comment on the draft AVIXA Membership Committee Handbook.  I encourage you to go back to the recording and listen starting 6 minutes in.  The chair sets up the role of the Membership Committee.  The chair crafted a first draft of a council handbook that we request the Membership Committee review and add comment to.  To ensure Committee members have a correct expectation, the review and initial comments on this document signal the beginning of this work and it is not expected that this document will be in its final form by our next meeting. 

Who is going to ISE? Also here are the Women's Council Events at ISE: AVIXA Women’s Council Events: Wednesday, February 1 at 17:00 AWC and Diversity Council present: Technology at the Service of Inclusion Wednesday, February 1 at 18:00 Council and Member Reception Local AWC Meetups at ISE: Wednesday, February 1 at 10:00 AVIXA Women’s Council DACH Meetup Thursday, February 2 at 10:00 AVIXA Women’s Council Italia Meetup

Did you know AVIXA has a variety of councils?  Want to learn more about them?  The Xchange has rooms like Technology Managers and A Culture of Inclusion that our councils are getting more active in.  You can learn about all the councils and how to volunteer on the AVIXA website. If you are going to be at InfoComm22, there are some great events you can attend to network, meet council members and learn more about their group: AVIXA All Council Summit (registration $20 for members and $30 for nonmembers)- Keynote from the founder of Meow Wolf, Vince Kadlubeck followed by all the current council chairs discussing their council work and how volunteering has helped them professionally.  AVIXA Women's Council Breakfast (registration AVIXA Premium/Elite Members $79  Non-Members: $99)- Keynote Melanie Spring gives you permission to be yourself, unfiltered. To define the personal brand we already carry with us, then how to speak our truth to our clients and teams, our friends and family, and our world. Hosted by the AVIXA Women's Council Technology Managers Forum and Reception (AVIXA Premium/Elite Members: $20 / Non-Members: $30) Join a speed dating style discussion on 4 hot topics- Staffing and DEI initiatives, AV and IT convergence, What's Cool at the Show- telling each other about booths to go check out to help solve your problems, and the future of AV.  Hosted by the Technology Managers Council Live Events Forum and Reception (AVIXA Premium/Elite Members: $20 / Non-Members $30) Join the Live Events Council as they discuss the most up to date trends in the industry and a special look at staffing challenges and successes. Hosted by the Live Events Council Designing for Diversity, Equity and Accessibility- Free Keynote Dr. Shelby Hill will discuss how DEI Initiatives globally can support better business and business outcomes.  Followed by a panel discussion that will speak directly to how these initiatives will support the AV industry. Hosted by the Diversity Council