SoundGirls
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
SoundGirls is a professional advocacy organization aiming to empower women working in the audio industry.[1] It was co-founded in 2013 by Pearl Jam’s monitor engineer Karrie Keyes,[2] and Michelle Sabolchick Pettinato,[3] Front of house mixer for Styx, Mr. Big and Elvis Costello. The organization's mission is "empowering the next generation of women in audio"[1] and increasing the number of women in the workforce, which is currently under 5% in some disciplines of the industry (like music production).[4]
Keyes and Sabolchick met when they were on a panel together at the 2012 AES Convention in San Francisco. The panel was hosted by the Women's Audio Mission called "Women of Professional Concert Sound" and was moderated by Terri Winston, the founder of Women's Audio Mission.[5]
Since then, SoundGirls has grown to over 6,000 members[6] and has several chapters worldwide. The organization assists with mentorships, job placement, workshops, and scholarships. The organization is inclusive of all genders and non-conforming genders. Keyes is currently the executive director[7] and runs the organization on a daily basis.[8]