This summer, the industry took note and honored several of our female leaders: Rashmi Rao, Rhita Boufelliga, Amanda Pine and Dorothee de Backer.

WITI Inducts Rashmi Rao into the Hall of Fame
Women in Technology International (WITI) recently honored Rashmi Rao, Senior Director of Advanced Engineering, CoC User Experience, and her work by inducting her into the Hall of Fame.
At the WITI Awards dinner, Rashmi's husband provided the opening remarks and highlighted how Rashmi has not only followed the path less travelled, but has created new ones throughout her career. From her early days at the Indian Institute of Science where she was the only female researcher in the Electrical Engineering Department, through her time at GE, Qualcomm, Apple, and now at HARMAN, Rashmi continues to push boundaries and break down barriers.

Crain's Detroit Names Rhita Boufelliga and Amanda Pine Notable Women in Tech
Rhita Boufelliga, Director of Software Project Management, and Amanda Pine, Principal Mechanical Engineer of Lifestyle Car Audio, were two of 26 women recently selected as notable women in tech by Crain's Detroit.
Overseeing 110 people and the development and testing of software for 228 customer part releases, Rhita's peers have taken note of her leadership. "I am not sure where Rhita summons the extra willpower to always keep the team moving," said Robert Haase, a technical fellow at Harman.

Since joining HARMAN in 2017, Amanda has delivered designs and analyses for three products, resolved significant supplier validation issues and has become the go-to car audio expert for Design Failure Mode and Effect Analysis team members. She also developed and is validating the company's highest processing and computing amplifier. Crain's noted "her greatest strength is the balanced combination of her passion for product excellence mixed with her technical capabilities."

Diversity Journal Recognizes Dorothee de Backer as a 'Woman Worth Watching'
Diversity Journal's Women Worth Watching program recognizes women from around the world who are truly making a difference in their organizations. This year, the Journal honored Dorothee de Backer, Product Marketing Director of Lifestyle Audio EMEA. Dorothee, also known as HARMAN's Headphones Maestro, was honored for her work as the tech ambassador behind several groundbreaking capabilities in the crusade for state-of-the-art personalized sound.
We're proud to cultivate a vibrant and diverse community made up of knowledgeable leaders who bring groundbreaking ideas to life every day. Congratulations to all!