Women of NAMM (WON) returns to The 2022 NAMM Show and recognizes six recipients with an annual NAMM Show scholarship, an award that will help them attend their first NAMM Show.
WON, formerly known as Smart Women in Music (SWIM), is comprised of an official, all-volunteer council of NAMM and will “continue to pursue the vision, mission, and objectives set forth by SWIM for the benefit of women in the music products industry and expand to include female professionals in other NAMM Member categories including the pro audio and entertainment technology segments.”
Founded in 2018 by industry veterans DeDe Heid (Heid Music), Crystal Morris (Gator Cases), and Robin Walenta (West Music), WON will continue the tradition of developing leadership opportunities through the awarding of scholarships to attend The NAMM Show. In addition, the group hosts professional development roundtables, network gatherings, and leadership summits at NAMM Headquarters in Carlsbad, California.
The annual WON scholarship selected Hailer Canfield, Dietze Music; Alia DiLullo, Gator Co.; Tamara Freethy, Cosmo Music; Kristi Noble, Quinlan and Fabish Music; Jessica Palmer, West Music/Music ConstructED; and Mandy Stertz, Pecknel Music Company as the recipients of this year’s award. Selected via an independent review process, each winner will receive a one-time stipend to support travel, attendance and participation, and job shadowing opportunities with female industry executives at The NAMM Show.
Stertz is the Director of Marketing at Pecknel Music Company and was first introduced to WON when she met some of the group’s members at the 2019 Retail Print Music Dealers Association (RPMDA) convention. Interested in the initiative and activities of WON, Stertz was finally encouraged by Jeremiah Manriquez, owner, and CEO of Pecknel Music and WON ally, to join the group. Reflecting on the importance of groups like WON, she says, “I feel like this industry is predominately male, so I strongly encourage women to participate in WON and apply for its scholarships. This way we can support and lift each other up. There is a wealth of knowledge amongst WON members, and the opportunity to tap into that is invaluable.”
Stertz will use the prestigious award to aid in attending her first NAMM Show this June. She says, “I am anxious to experience everything The NAMM Show has to offer while meeting all of the amazing women who belong to WON.”
WON will gather at The 2022 NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, on Friday, June 3, from 6-7p.m. at The Westin Hotel, part of the NAMM campus. Information on attending The NAMM Show can be found here.
Visit here for more information on Women of NAMM. Donate to the WON Fund here.