WAVIT Reinvents Mentorship Through the Wave of Influence Program

Women in AV/IT (WAVIT) has unveiled its reimagined Wave of Influence Mentorship Program with a new vision for mentorship designed to empower women across the AV/IT sector.

Unlike traditional mentorship programs that pair one mentor with one mentee for a predetermined period, the Wave of Influence embraces a member-driven approach. Participants have the freedom to connect with multiple mentors, mentees, and peers based on their goals, interests, expertise, and career stage, creating flexible relationships that can last for a single conversation or continue for years.

Powered by the UpNotch mentorship platform, the new Wave of Influence provides AI-powered recommendations that help members discover mentors, peers, and professional connections aligned with their goals.

"Mentorship isn't about finding one person who has all the answers. It's about building a community of people who encourage you, challenge you, open doors, and help you discover opportunities you may never have found on your own," says Brandy Alvarado-Miranda, founder of WAVIT. "We understand that careers are built through communities, not just connections. This gives women the opportunity to build an entire network of trusted advisors who can support them through every stage of their professional journey."

"We wanted to remove the barriers that often keep people from seeking mentorship," says E. Williams, WAVIT mentorship program manager. "Sometimes you need one conversation. Sometimes you need a long-term mentor. Sometimes you simply want to expand your network. The Wave of Influence gives members the flexibility to decide what those relationships look like. Whether someone is just entering the industry, exploring a new specialty, pursuing leadership opportunities, or giving back as a mentor themselves, the program is designed to grow alongside them."

To support the launch, WAVIT will host a virtual orientation on August 5 to walk through how mentors and mentees can learn how to build their profiles, establish meaningful goals, navigate the platform, and maximize the value of their mentorship experience. The session will also introduce participants to best practices for building successful mentoring relationships.

"One conversation can change a career," Alvarado-Mirando says. "Whether you're looking for guidance, hoping to give back, changing career paths, or simply wanting to grow your professional network, the Wave of Influence was built to help women support one another every step of the way. I want to thank Hope Roth, Jill Levine, Cheryl Walton, and E. Williams for all the work they've put into starting this program. WAVIT could not do this without these amazing volunteers."

Mentors also remain fully in control of their participation, choosing their availability, session frequency, scheduling preferences, and level of involvement making it easier than ever for experienced professionals to give back without feeling overwhelmed.