Women in Consumer Technology (WiCT) has added two new members to its advisory board. Amanda “Mandy” Beckner, CEDIA’s vice president of education and training, and Norma Garcia-Muro, vice president of marketing at Kaleidescape, bring the board’s total to 16 members, including founder Carol Campbell. The advisory board counsels WiCT on its education, coaching, and mentorship initiatives, as well as its annual receptions, networking programming, and the annual Legacy Awards program.
“The women who make up our advisory board hold many roles and come from various disciplines and backgrounds — all contributing to the evolution and innovation occurring in the CT sector,” says Campbell. “Mandy and Norma will add even more insight and expertise that is a valuable part of achieving WiCT’s mission of empowering women in the field. Both are well-known and highly respected, and we are pleased to welcome them to the board.”
Beckner has been in the pro AV and residential industry for more than 23 years. In her current position, Beckner strives to make CEDIA the leading global authority for education and certification in the smart home industry. She played an instrumental role in leading CEDIA’s Integrated Systems Certification to worldwide ANSI/ISO accreditation in 2022. As vice president of learning at AVIXA, she led the digital transformation of the association’s curriculum, stewarded three AVIXA certifications and multiple standards to ANSI/ISO accreditation, and built an active global network of over 250 education, certification, and standards volunteers. As president and COO of THE rAVe Agency, she led long-term strategy and operations and oversaw the growth of the LAVNCH program. Beckner holds a Bachelor of Arts in education studies from the Catholic University of America and a master’s in communication, culture, and technology from Georgetown University.
“Women are leading the tech industry to great heights, and it’s with resources and support available from WiCT,” says Beckner. “I’m so excited to be a voice in helping guide this pivotal organization forward and help the women who are part of this great industry!”
Garcia-Muro is an entertainment industry veteran with a background in motion picture, home entertainment, and premium cinema technology. Before joining Kaleidescape, she held positions with Paramount Pictures, Lucasfilm Ltd., Dolby Laboratories, and THX Ltd. She is also a consummate motivator and mentor with a passion for empowering young women with diverse backgrounds within the industry. She has served as a mentor of UNIC Women’s Cinema Leadership Program and is a current member of Women in Tech and Women in Exhibition. In addition, she founded the Latino Employee Network MUNDO under Dolby’s Diversity and Inclusion program. In 2021 and 2020, Garcia-Muro was named one of the Top 50 Women in Global Cinema; she is also the recipient of WiCT’s 2023 Carol Campbell Inspiration Award.
“I’m looking forward to championing the mission and community of Women in Consumer Technology,” says Garcia-Muro. “We live in a profoundly connected and global world, and companies that are more diverse, bring new female perspectives, and cultivate role models will achieve better performance.”
See all the WiCT’s current advisory board members here.
For more information, visit www.womeninconsumertechnology.org.
