The AVIXA Diversity Council has announced Frank Padikkala as its new chairperson. Padikkala will replace outgoing chairperson Charmaine Torruella, who has been at the helm for the last three years.
“Frank is a true epistemophiliac [a fancy word for saying he loves knowledge] and casually admits to being a certification ‘junkie’ with over 16 leading IT certifications including those from Cisco, Microsoft, Comptia, CIW – the latest of which being a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) and CHFI from the EC-Council,” said Torruella in a LinkedIn post.
His goal is to become an influencer and help bridge the knowledge gap between the worlds of AV and IT.
“As part of the Young AV Professionals Council he hopes to bridge the age gap that exists in the AV industry today. We are very excited to see what his leadership will bring as the first Asian AVIXA Council Chair,” wrote Torruella.
Listen: Finding Careers in the AV Industry Part 1 – Charmaine Torruella, Verrex & AVIXA
Padikkala is currently a Kairos solution architect at Panasonic North America. He has a masters in cybersecurity and information assurance and bachelors in both IT-security and polymer sciences.
Torruella will take a new role within the council.
Joé Lloyd, senior director of communications at AVIXA, added, “We are so proud of the work that Charmaine has accomplished and excited for Frank’s tenure.”
In March, the Diversity Task Force comprised of AVIXA AV and integrated experience professionals from various backgrounds and cultures released an AV Industry Pledge for an Equitable Future, a document that asks those who sign it “to advance inclusive behavior across their company and the industry.”
Read: Highlighting the Business Benefits of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
The AV Pledge for an Equitable Future is a commitment to:
- Foster Awareness: Positive change starts with understanding and acknowledging the existence of systemic racism, leaning in to tough conversations, and analyzing how we can contribute to creating a better world.
- Take Action: Pledge to set measurable goals, follow through on findings, and commit resources toward the goal.
- Be Accountable: Share your progress with AVIXA and industry peers – the challenges and successes so everyone can learn.
Individuals who sign the pledge are asked to consider joining AVIXA’s Diversity Council and participate in future council events, take part in diversity and inclusion surveys, as well as participate in future Diversity, Equity and Inclusion events.
