015: RACHEL MR. SOUNDLADY RYAN/FOH-Monitor Engineer/The Tallest Man On Earth, The Strokes, PHOX

It's no secret that for years the "road" has been a male-dominated workplace. However, that's quickly changing, and women like Rachel Ryan are forging new and indelible paths, demonstrating their might and talent, making way for a new generation of roadies. Mr. Soundlady, as Rachel is otherwise known, is a force to be reckoned with. As I dug around researching women in the audio field, her name kept popping up, and I couldn't help but be struck by her enthusiasm, her passion, and judging by her resume, her talent. An NYU graduate from California, Rachel has already logged an impressive amount of experience. She had the good fortune to have residencies at both the East and West coast Knitting Factories, Brooklyn Bowl, and has been on the road as both FOH engineer and monitor mixer for the likes of The Tallest Man On Earth, The Strokes, PHOX, Silversun Pickups, and is still the first and only woman to intern at Radio City Music Hall. In between the endless hours and concert halls Rachel has decided to go back to Graduate school to study Library Sciences. Badass indeed.