AVIXA's Leadership Search Committee (LSC) has appointed Frank Padikkala, CTS-D, Kairos solution architect at Panasonic, to serve as chairperson of the AVIXA Diversity Council.
Padikkala is an AV/IT engineer and tech enthusiast who places both innovation and inclusion at the heart of his design philosophy. As an AV and IT expert, he hopes to bridge the knowledge gap between the two industries which have already begun to overlap in a wide array of market segments. A firm advocate of both training and certification, Padikkala holds a master’s degree in cybersecurity in addition to more than 10 AV and IT certifications.
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“The growth of the AVIXA Diversity Council in the last three years under Charmaine Torruella’s leadership has been meteoric and we will continue to honor her legacy,” said Sarah Joyce, chief global officer of AVIXA. “Frank’s focus on outreach and the addition of both local and regional events will raise the sense of community and belonging that we champion at AVIXA.”
“The advancement of diversity within our AV community is so much more than training sessions and webinars,” said Padikkala. “My biggest goal is to bring the community together for personal learning journeys through the creation of safe spaces where we can each learn from one another, learn about ourselves, and learn about the value and power of our own diversity. Everyone’s diversity journey is different, and inclusion is achieved through the shared and mutual acceptance of your identity and brand. The hope, with the focus on outreach efforts both locally and internationally, is that it will help to broaden our perspective and bring positive change within the global AV community.”
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The AVIXA Diversity Council’s mission is to encourage inclusion and promote human, cultural, and systemic diversity in all forms within the commercial audiovisual industry through the utilization of professional networking, educational opportunities, leadership development, and community awareness. To learn more about the council and how to join, visit www.avixa.org/diversitycouncil.
