Kinly, the global provider of AV integration and collaboration services and support, is pleased to announce its sponsorship for Rise AV, an advocacy group championing gender diversity and professional development in the AV sector.
Rise AV recently announced its inaugural UK cohort for its 2025 Mentoring Programme, designed to support women working in, or aspiring to enter, the AV industry, with 31 mentor-mentee pairings.
Kim Fowler, Kinly’s Business Development Manager, Global Services, and Vanessa Tolisano, AV Programme Manager, will be among the 31 talented individuals to be mentored in the programme.
Teymour Mossadeghi, Director of Service Architecture and Operations, Kinly Global Services, and Caroline Gibbs, Global Client Services Manager, will act as mentors in the programme, sharing their expertise to inspire the future of female AV leaders.
In addition, Katy Thorpe, our Global People Director, serves on the Rise AV Advisory Board, joining its mission to create an inclusive industry where gender diversity thrives while driving innovation, equity and opportunity for all.
The free mentoring initiative is made possible through the support of Rise AV’s industry sponsors including Kinly, Audiologic, AV User Group, Diversified, Epson, Exertis UK, Faye Bennett Consultancy, Hewshott UK, Iiyama, LTSMG, Midwich, Nuvias UC, Peerless, proAV, Shure, Unicol and Uniguest.
Participants accepted onto the programme gain access to a host of exclusive benefits over six-months, including face-to-face networking events, in-person and virtual skills workshops and AV industry insights. Each pairing also includes a minimum of 12-hours of tailored one-on-one guidance, designed to empower and equip the next generation of AV professionals.
Due to an overwhelming global response, Rise AV is also piloting an online-only version of the Mentoring Programme, welcoming a US-based pairing, including our very own Vanessa Tolisano, ahead of the official launch of the full US Programme in 2026.
Katy Thorpe, People Director, Kinly, said:
“Kinly is proud to sponsor Rise AV in its mission to drive greater gender diversity and empowerment within the AV industry. The launch of the inaugural UK cohort for the 2025 Mentoring Programme marks an important step forward in inspiring the next generation of female leaders in AV.
I’m especially pleased to see our colleagues Kim Fowler and Vanessa Tolisano take part as mentees, as well as to have the expertise of Caroline Gibbs and Teymour Mossadeghi shared in mentoring roles. As a member of the Rise AV Advisory Board, I’m looking forward to witnessing firsthand the transformative impact of this initiative, not just on individual careers, but on the wider industry. Together, we are committed to building a more inclusive, supportive and exciting future.”
Rachael Hamilton, Managing Director, Rise AV, said:
"We’re incredibly proud to launch the inaugural UK Mentoring Programme and to see such a strong response from across the globe, highlighting the urgent need to support and elevate underrepresented talent in the AV industry.
By connecting emerging professionals with experienced mentors, we are investing in individual career development and actively addressing the industry’s growing skills shortage by retaining and attracting talent and strengthening the talent pipeline. This programme aims to build a more diverse, resilient and future-ready AV sector. None of it would be possible without the unwavering support of our industry sponsors, who share our vision for meaningful and lasting change."
Find out more about Rise AV’s Mentorship Programme, here.