Whilst security organizations typically have 8-12% women, Rhonda’s direct reports are 50% women and across the herentire organization 24% of employees are female. Rhonda is the Executive Sponsor of the Women in Security Excelling (WISE) network, which boasts over 400 members, and has been an active mentor to more than 30 women holding various positions throughout IBM, with 50% of these women achieving their primary outcome. Furthermore a third of women recently appointed to the role of Distinguished Engineer, the second highest technical rank, were directly mentored by Rhonda, as were 25% of the women appointed to the highest technical rank of IBM Fellows. Externally, Rhonda mentors girls in a computer class at a high school in Austin, where her positive impact has included successfully encouraging a student to enrol in community college. For the Austin Chapter of the Society of Women Engineers, Rhonda serves as Social Media Leader and helps organizes events.
